Police seize 7 kg ganja, four cannabis plants during raid

Kochi: Rural police on Tuesday seized ganja and cannabis plants cultivated by migrant workers at Muttom and arrested three persons in connection with the case. Police identified the arrested persons as Assam natives Yahia Ahmed, 21, from Hojai, Swaraj Bora, 19, from Ekorani, and Sirajul Haque, 28, from Nagaon.They were residing on a rented property near Muttom Junction.They were arrested by the rural district anti-narcotic special action force team along with Aluva police. About 7kg of ganja, along with four cannabis plants were recovered from them.The operation was based on a tip-off received by district police chief M Hemalatha. Police said that the arrested were key figures in a gang that brings in large quantities of cannabis from Odisha for sale in the state. Police have initiated a detailed investigation into their drug network. The investigation is led by Aluva DSP T R Rajesh, narcotics cell DSP J Umesh Kumar and sub-inspector S S Sreelal.Ganja seized from lodge: City police arrested two men with 7kg of ganja from a lodge operating in the Nettoor area of Panangad. Acting on a tip-off received by Kochi city deputy police commissioner about the arrival of drugs for sale in Panangad area, a search was conducted by a police team led by Ernakulam ACP Rajkumar. Police identified the arrested as Amal Mathew, 35, from Kanjikuzhy in Idukki and Ratheesh, 31, from Vazhikkadavu in Malappuram.Mathew has several cases registered against him, including attempted murder, police said.