Wayanad: A youth suspected of smuggling MDMA jumped into the valley from the Wayanad Ghats viewpoint at Lakkidy on Friday afternoon while trying to evade the police. The incident occurred after a police team stopped the car he was travelling in at the Wayanad Gate aide post.

The youth has been identified as Shefeeq, a native of Tirurangadi in Malappuram district. A known repeat offender, Shefeeq is wanted in multiple narcotics cases registered under various police station limits. A search of the Maruti Swift car led to the recovery of three packets of MDMA, a synthetic drug popular among youngsters.

Despite deploying a drone and launching a search operation, police have so far failed to locate the suspect. Shefeeq had earlier been booked by Sulthan Bathery police in another NDPS case just four months ago.

According to the Fire and Rescue team from Kalpetta, which assisted in the search, Shefeeq was seen running down the valley slopes towards the next hairpin bend at the 8th curve. "We could trace his footprints for nearly 400 metres," an official said. Police suspect he either slipped into a hideout in the valley or escaped in a vehicle heading towards Thamarassery.

Following a tip-off from Vythiri police, Thamarassery police began checking vehicles in the area. The search is ongoing across multiple locations, officials said.