Two UP natives arrested with 'ganja candies', aimed at school children, in Alappuzha

ALAPPUZHA: Two Uttar Pradesh natives were arrested for possessing ganja candies. The Excise has seized two thousand ganja candies from the accused. The arrested has been identified as Santosh Kumar and Rahul Saroj.

The accused were arrested from Cherthala in Alappuzha on the basis of intelligence. More than 10 kg of prohibited tobacco products were seized from them. A probe will be carried out to find whether Santosh Kumar and Rahul Saroj have distributed ganja candies to children.

The Excise team is planning to question the accused in detail to find out where the ganja sweets are being delivered and how long they have been supplying them. The product is delivered to the state in this form targeting school children.

In many parts of Kerala, such candies are aimed at school children. Excise and police team aims to root out this gang. On consuming, children can get addicted to these intoxicants.

Along with this, banned tobacco products brought from other states are sold in Kerala for profit. Excise finds that the use of such intoxicating substances by school children and especially girls is on the rise.

It is a crime to buy or sell tobacco products that are banned in the state. In recent days, police and excise are conducting a special drive to find and arrest such gangs.

Tobacco products like Hans are available for Rs 8 and Rs 10 as there is no ban in other states. After smuggling it across the state border to Kerala, these are sold at Rs 80 to Rs 150 for even one packet.