Wayanad: In two separate incidents, police on Saturday arrested three Malappuram natives and seized 340.93gm of MDMA during routine inspections at the district’s border checkpoints. According to police, the contraband was smuggled to Kerala from Karnataka.

The accused are Parambilthodi Salmanur Faris (28)of Eranad; Unniyerikkunnu Rabeel Niyas (30) of Morayur; and Kaithavalappil Shameem (33) of Kottakkal.

Faris and Niyas were intercepted while travelling in a sleeper-class tourist bus from Bengaluru to Kozhikode. The bus was stopped by police at Chettappalam for inspection, during which 245gm of MDMA was recovered from their handbags. Both were taken into custody.

In the second incident, Shameem was arrested at the Muthanga check-post after police recovered 95.93gm of MDMA concealed in his car.

Police said Faris and Niyas are history-sheeters and are facing cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. In Malappuram, Kondotty and Beypore police have registered cases against Salmanur under the NDPS Act and the Motor Vehicles Act. Niyas is an accused in NDPS cases registered at Manjeri and Pantheeramkavu police stations.

This is the first time in a long interval that such a large quantity of MDMA has been seized in the district.

MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a synthetic recreational drug popular among youngsters and commonly known by the street names Molly and Ecstasy. It is odourless, easy to carry, and can be concealed in small quantities on the body or inside vehicles. Even 10 grams of MDMA is considered a commercial quantity.