Latest news with #DANSAF
The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
Drug trafficking: police retrieve contact lists of prime suspects
The Kozhikode City police have retrieved the contact lists of a few major alleged synthetic drug pushers who were recently arrested by the District-Level Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF) during flash inspections. Police sources said the recovered phone data would help identify more suspected traffickers and aid investigations into some previously registered drug cases. The State-level Hi-Tech Crime Inquiry Cell and the Cyber Police are also working to recover deleted social media communications of the arrested suspects from across Kerala, they added. A senior officer with the Anti-Narcotics Squad in Kozhikode district said over 1,500 drug trafficking cases were registered in the city in the past seven months. Of these, over 30 cases involved the seizure of commercial quantities of drugs, which were investigated in detail using call detail records (CDR) accessed with the technical support of the Cyber Cell officers. Apart from tracking CDRs and social media activity, the police also examined the bank account details of several arrested 'drug traffickers' to trace their financial sources and identify persons linked to suspicious transactions. Officers said that several accounts—some operated from abroad—had already been frozen as part of the intensified crackdown. Within the past seven months alone, the bank accounts of 10 arrested suspected drug pushers were frozen in Kozhikode city limits, according to the latest data available with the District Crime Records Bureau. This was in addition to the confiscation of illegally acquired assets, including vehicles and other immovable properties, of arrested 'drug pushers'. Police sources said forfeiture proceedings under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators Act, 1976, would soon be initiated against more persons who were recently caught with commercial quantities of synthetic drugs. They added that police stations in the city limits now have well-trained special squads dedicated to handling trafficking cases and ensuring proper follow-up action.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- The Hindu
237 grams of suspected MDMA seized in Kozhikode; one held
The Kozhikode District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF) and the Beypore police on Saturday (August 16) seized around 237 grams of MDMA and arrested one man on the charge of selling the drug. According to sources, one of his accomplices managed to flee. The police said that T.V. Mohammed Shahad, 37, a native of Mathottam in Kozhikode city, and his friend Mohammed Fayis had brought the drug from Bengaluru in Karnataka. They were eyeing prospective customers in Beypore, Mathottam, and Arakkinar. Shahad is reportedly part of a gang that smuggles drugs from Delhi and Bengaluru to Kozhikode. He had earlier been apprehended and jailed for selling drugs. Shahad later came out on bail and resumed his business, the police said.
New Indian Express
07-08-2025
- New Indian Express
Kochi police arrest two, seize Rs 2.5 crore worth ambergris
KOCHI: The Kochi city police seized approximately one-and-a-half kilograms of ambergris (whale vomit), which was smuggled to Kochi from Lakshadweep for illegal sale. Suhail, a resident of Fort Kochi, and Suhail, of Kalpeni in Lakshadweep, were arrested in connection with the seizure. The seized substance is highly valuable and rare, with an estimated price of around Rs 2.5 crore in the international market, said a police officer with the DANSAF squad. A team led by Mattancherry sub-inspector Jimmy Jose seized the ambergris, based on a confidential tip-off received by city police commissioner Putta Vimaladitya. Fort Kochi resident Suhail was apprehended near the Fort Kochi Jetty, During the interrogation, he attempted to assault the officers and flee. However, he was overpowered after a brief struggle, and 35 g of ambergris, which he had intended to sell as a sample, was recovered from his possession, said the official. Further interrogation led to another major seizure, about 1 kg of ambergris, from Thoppumpady on Wednesday morning.
The Hindu
10-07-2025
- The Hindu
Woman YouTuber among three arrested with suspected MDMA
A popular woman YouTuber was among the three persons who were arrested by the District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF) of the Kochi City police during two separate raids reportedly with nearly 25 grams of suspected MDMA in the early hours of Thursday (July 10, 2025). In the first case, Yasar Arafath, 34, and Rincy Mumtaz, 32, both from Kozhikode, were nabbed from Palachuvadu near Kakkanad. Allegedly, 20.55 grams of suspected MDMA were seized from them. Rincy, a popular YouTuber, used her profile to allegedly distribute drugs. The two were partners in the drug trade, said the police. The duo reportedly used a flat at Palachuvadu rented in the name of Rincy for drug trade. The police received information about the steady flow of visitors to the flat leading to the raid. In another raid, the police seized 2.80 grams of suspected MDMA and 26.24 grams of ganja from a man from Mattummal near Cheranalloor. The accused was identified as Muhammed Rafeeq, 28, of Punalur in Kollam. All the arrested were key elements in selling drugs among youngsters, the DANSAF said. The city police have registered several cases under the ongoing 'Operation D Hunt' of the Kerala Police. The DANSAF team led by Narcotics Cell Assistant Commissioner K.A. Abdul Salam made the arrests. Suspected ganja seized A special squad under the Perumbavoor Assistant Superintendent of Police arrested a man with 1.30 kilograms of suspected ganja. The arrested man was identified as Elam Shikh, 29, of Murshidabad in West Bengal. He had been on the police radar and allegedly sold ganja in small quantities for ₹500 per satchel. After running a shop in Bengal Colony, Perumbavoor, for around two years, he allegedly turned to the ganja trade. The police seized a weighing machine and several satchels from him. He primarily targeted migrant workers, according to the police.
The Hindu
06-07-2025
- The Hindu
Drug trafficking: Kozhikode city police nab 1,603 suspects in six months
Heightened vigilance and sustained patrol efforts by the Kozhikode city police, with the support of the District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF), led to the arrest of 1,603 suspects, including three foreign nationals and 58 people from outside Kerala, in the past six months. According to the latest statistics from the District Crime Records Bureau (DCRB), a total of 1,505 narcotic cases were registered during this period. Officers with the anti-narcotics squad said 31 of these cases involved the seizure of drugs in commercial quantities. 'The total seizure included 102.55 kg of ganja, 2.61 kg of MDMA and 1.033 kg of hashish oil, reportedly brought in to target young drug users. This was apart from the recovery of smuggled LSD stamps, brown sugar and tranquilliser drugs,' they said. Apart from routine checks, Operation D-Hunt, a State-wide crackdown on drug peddlers, was a major success in Kozhikode city. The police registered 1,118 cases and arrested 1,170 suspects as part of the drive. The operation also led to the seizure of 60 kg of ganja, 1.04 kg of MDMA, and 1.033 kg of hashish oil, said a senior officer who compiled the data for the DCRB. He said that police squads from the Kunnamangalam, Nadakkavu, Kozhikode Town, and Feroke stations made significant breakthroughs in seizing MDMA, one of the most dangerous synthetic drugs, and apprehending key traffickers. One of the major achievements during the six-month drive was the arrest of an 11-member drug peddling gang with international links. The gang played a key role in distributing synthetic drugs among youngsters in Kozhikode, Palakkad, and Malappuram districts, according to anti-narcotics squad members. In the case registered at Kunnamangalam police station, officers arrested a Nigerian national and two Tanzanian citizens who allegedly coordinated the synthetic drug trade in India. They were said to be operating a well-connected network of local traffickers and international agents. All 11 suspects were arrested within three months, police sources said. Updated data on drug seizures also revealed that most non-Keralite drug peddlers arrested in Kozhikode with smuggled ganja hailed from Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal. They had arrived in the city for odd jobs and roadside businesses, and primarily targeted migrant workers. The police sources said other suspects were found focusing on students, using synthetic drugs reportedly smuggled in from Bengaluru.
