Excise officials on Sunday busted a rave party in a backwater hideaway in Poovar where several youths indulged in merrymaking with the accompaniment of synthetic drugs and liquor.
The State Excise Enforcement Squad (SEES) raided the Karaikkattu Backwaters and Resorts, which is located on an island and can be accessed through the backwater alone, to gatecrash the illegal party that is believed to have got under way on Saturday evening.
The team led by Excise Circle Inspector T. Anikumar arrested three people, identified as Akshay Mohan of Aryanad, Peter Shan of Kannanthura and Hashim of Chanthavila. Nearly 20 people who partook in the ‘Nirvana music and fashion festival’ organised by the accused were also taken into custody.
At least 50 people including women are suspected to have attended the revelry with many believed to have left the island before the arrival of the excise team. They included natives of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Karnataka and various north Indian States, official sources said. The hard disk of the CCTV cameras on the premises have been confiscated to identify the attendees, sources added.
The law enforcers found wide array of narcotic substances including MDMA pills and crystals, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) stamp, hashish oil and ganja, as well as liquor.
According to Mr. Anikumar, the raid was conducted on the basis of a tip-off that suggested the possibility of drugs being peddled at weekend parties being held in the southern region of Thiruvananthapuram district that included the popular tourist destinations of Kovalam and Poovar.
Eight officials, including woman officers, reached the island in two boats and pretended to be tourists. After confirming the veracity of the information, the excise team moved in to nab those present, many of whom were intoxicated.
The organisers had sold entry tickets that cost ₹1,000 and upwards, depending on the requirement of drugs and liquor. They had allegedly coordinated the weekend party through WhatsApp and Instagram that they used to relay information and share location of the venue.
Mr. Anikumar said Akshay has a criminal record that included several cases relating to drug trade and smuggling and has been under surveillance for a considerable period. He is also known to have organised similar parties in other places.
Having brought all those who were detained to the city late Sunday, the investigation team has commenced efforts to identify the origin of the seized narcotic substances and those involved in smuggling them to Poovar.
