Kozhikode: More than 200 grams of MDMA, along with cannabis, was seized during a police raid at a gymnasium in Payyanakkal in Kozhikode on Saturday. Three persons have been taken into custody as well. 

The raid was part of Operation Toofan, the statewide anti-narcotics drive jointly carried out by the Kozhikode City Police and the District Anti-Narcotic Special Action Force (DANSAF). 

The contraband was recovered from a gym operating under the name 'Back to Fitness'. According to the police, the seized MDMA has an estimated market value of around ₹10 lakh. Cannabis was also recovered during the search, officials said. 

Police suspect that the gym was being used as a front for drug trafficking and said it was under surveillance for some time following repeated complaints from local residents. Officials said they had received multiple inputs on narcotics-related activities on the premises.

However, the gym owner strongly denied the allegations, insisting that the establishment had no role in any drug-related activities. He claimed that the narcotics were recovered from a man who had joined the gym as an employee only two days ago and alleged that the police were unfairly trying to implicate the gym by linking the accused's actions to the business.

The owner protested while being taken into custody, maintaining that the gym's reputation was being tarnished without evidence of its involvement in the alleged drug trade. Tension briefly flared during the operation when one of the accused, who was allegedly found in possession of the narcotics, attacked media personnel while being taken into custody by the police.

Further investigation is underway to determine the source of the seized MDMA, identify other members of the drug network, and ascertain whether the gym premises was knowingly used for narcotics trafficking.

The arrest of the persons under custody would be recorded later, officials added.