Malappuram: In one of the biggest drug seizures by the Kerala Police, the Malappuram district police have seized 12.8 kg of MDMA, worth more than ₹10 crore in the retail market, from a gang allegedly attempting to smuggle the drug into Kerala.

Three members of an interstate drug trafficking network were arrested by the Manjeri police in Coimbatore. The arrested are Mambra Valappil Jabir Ali (32) of Pantallur in Malappuram, Karimbayil Muhammad Salih (34) of Meppadi in Wayanad, and Sheim Akbar (21) of Anakkayam in Malappuram.

The arrests were made in Coimbatore by a team comprising members of the special investigation team led by Malappuram District Police Chief Chaithra Theresa John, Manjeri Inspector T G Dileep, and the district DANSAF squad.

A few weeks ago, the Manjeri police had arrested six members of a drug distribution gang after seizing around 100 grams of MDMA during a raid at a private apartment in Manjeri town based on a tip-off. Detailed interrogation of those arrested provided investigators with information about members of a wider drug trafficking network with links inside and outside Kerala.

The district police chief said further investigation revealed that the gang allegedly procured and stored large quantities of MDMA at secret locations in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, before transporting it for distribution in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Investigators also found that the gang used luxury vehicles fitted with concealed compartments to smuggle the drugs. Surveillance revealed that Coimbatore, Palani and Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu were used as transit points by the network, with drug transactions allegedly taking place in busy town areas.

Based on surveillance of these locations and intermediaries linked to the network, the investigation team traced the suspects and arrested them near Coimbatore town.

During interrogation, the police found the MDMA concealed inside the door panel of an Innova car. The drug had been packed into multiple packets, each containing between 100 grams and 500 grams, apparently intended to be dropped at different locations from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod, said Chithra Theresa John.

She said further investigation was underway to identify the source of the MDMA and other members of the trafficking network.