Punalur Excise team on Sunday arrested two engineering students with 82 nitrazepam tablets, a prescription drug misused for its potent hypnotic properties.
They were arrested as part of Operation Devil Hunt launched in connection with the special Christmas-New Year enforcement drive.
The team led by Punalur Excise Circle Inspector K.Sudevan nabbed Kallumala residents Alan George (28), son of George, Charuvilaveettil, and Vijay (22), son of Vijayakumar, Priya Bhavan, following a tip off received by Kollam Deputy Excise Commissioner B.Suresh. Both were booked under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS).
According to Excise officials, Kallumala area was under the close monitoring of the department for the last one month and the students were arrested during a special inspection held on Saturday night. Alan George, the first accused in the case, is also accused in several narcotic and criminal cases.
He was arrested six months ago while trying to smuggle 4 kg of ganja through the Aryankavu checkpost. The accused had brought the psychiatric drug for consumption and sales during Christmas and New Year parties. The officials said that both are key members of a Punalur-based gang that supplies drugs in the district. The source will be investigated and the phones of the accused will be checked for more information, said Kollam Assistant Commissioner V.Robert.
Excise sleuths had made another arrest as part of the special drive on Friday after seizing 1.5 kg of ganja from Abhilash, a 40-year-old Kadavoor resident.
The accused used to deliver ganja in an autorickshaw and he was arrested near Mangad Veterinary Hospital on the basis of information received by Circle Inspector G. Krishnakumar. The Department had stepped up surveillance measures and launched joint inspections in various parts of the district from the first week of December.
