Four, including woman, arrested with MDMA in Malappuram

Malappuram: Four persons, including a 22-year-old woman, were arrested with 4.96 grams of MDMA allegedly brought for sale at Kerala Estate in Karuvarakundu in the district, as part of the police's Operation Toofan.

The arrested are Althaf, 35, of Kizhattur; Fasil, 34, of Karkidakamkunnu in Palakkad; Muhammed Rashid, 28, of Vettathur; and Shermina Jasmin, 22, of West Hill in Kozhikode.

The Karuvarakundu police conducted a raid on Wednesday based on a tip-off received by the Malappuram district police chief that drug sales and consumption had shifted to isolated areas following intensified police checks in major towns and buildings suspected of being used for drug-related activities.

Acting on the information, the police intercepted the accused while they were allegedly transporting MDMA in a car at Kerala Estate.

Police said Althaf is an accused in a murder case, and preliminary interrogation indicated that he was part of a network allegedly involved in selling MDMA in small packets in the Melattur-Perinthalmanna areas.

Fasil has a previous case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act after he was allegedly caught with MDMA in Palakkad last year. He had spent about two months in jail in connection with the case before being released on bail.

Shermina Jasmin had also previously been taken into custody by police in Perinthalmanna in connection with alleged drug use, police said.

The accused are being questioned further to ascertain the source of the drug and identify others allegedly involved in the network.