Kerala Police Bust Cannabis Smuggling Operation

Kerala police arrested three migrant workers from Kalady, carrying 44 kilograms of cannabis smuggled from Odisha. Rafiqul Islam, Abdul Qudooze, and Sahin Mandal, originally from West Bengal, were caught following a tip-off. They transported the drugs discreetly and planned to sell them in Kerala.

In a significant breakthrough, Kerala police nabbed three migrant workers on Saturday suspected of smuggling 44 kilograms of cannabis from Odisha, authorities confirmed. The trio, hailing from Murshidabad, West Bengal, were apprehended in Kalady after a special investigation team acted on a tip-off.

Rafiqul Islam, aged 40, alongside Abdul Qudooze and Sahin Mandal, were intercepted in the Manickamangalam area. They allegedly purchased the cannabis at Rs 2,000 per kilogram in Odisha and transported it to Kerala, intending to sell it for Rs 27,000 per kilogram. The suspects changed the vehicle's registration plate en route, reportedly to avoid detection.

Police reports reveal that Islam, described as a central figure in the smuggling network, has resided in Kerala for 25 years, previously working in labor supply before transitioning to drug trafficking. He had prior arrests, including one in 2012. Authorities continue to probe the exact origins and distribution network of the seized cannabis.

(With inputs from agencies.)