Kochi, Nov 8 (PTI) Two men were arrested with 192 grams of MDMA, 185 grams of which was seized in a search at a lodge here, police said on Sunday.
In a statement, police said the search was carried out on a tip-off received by Ernakulam Rural District Police Chief K S Sudarshan.
The arrested were identified as Harikrishnan K S (32) and Shinu Sebastian (34).
A team led by Aluva Deputy Superintendent of Police Baiju Paulos arrested Harikrishnan with 185 grams of MDMA, worth about Rs 7.5 lakh, at the lodge.
Acting on information from him, police, along with the Kochi City Police, searched Shinu’s house at Thoppumpady and allegedly found seven more grams hidden in a birdcage.
Investigators found that the drugs were brought to Kochi from Tamil Nadu on a tourist bus, with the accused allegedly hiding them inside a banana bunch, police said.
They said the drugs were meant for direct sale to dealers and consumers in Ernakulam and Aluva.
The probe has been intensified, with a focus on the Bengaluru-Tamil Nadu region, to trace the source and distribution network. Police are also examining whether more people were involved in the trafficking, who sold the drugs to the duo and who bought from them, they added.
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), also known as Molly or Ecstasy, is a banned substance.
