'Special package from Tanzania, on great terms with foreign men'; Anila Raveendran's shady dealings

KOLLAM: Police doubt Anila Raveendran (35), arrested in the MDMA case in Kollam, to be part of a big drug syndicate. Anila, who had close ties to drug gangs in the Kollam district, was supplied with MDMA by young men who were all foreigners. The drugs are believed to have reached Anila from Tanzania. Four years ago, in 2021, she was arrested by the Tripunithura police over a drug case.

On Saturday, more drugs were seized from the woman earlier held with 50 grams of MDMA in Kollam on Friday. During a medical examination, 40.45 grams of MDMA were found hidden in her private parts. With this, the total seized MDMA reached 90.45 grams.

Anila Raveendran (34), was arrested near Sakthikulangara police station on Friday. The woman was arrested in a joint raid conducted by the City DANSAF team and the Sakthikulangara police. Anila was accompanied by a young man while bringing MDMA from Karnataka to Kollam by car. He is a native of Kollam and got off at Ernakulam.

The Commissioner had received confidential information about Anila carting MDMA purchased from Karnataka in her car to sell to school and college students in Kollam city. Based on this, extensive inspections were initiated within the city limits from Friday morning.

The inspection was conducted in three teams led by the Kollam ACPS Sherif. Anila's car was spotted near the Neendakara bridge at around 5:30 pm. Despite beckoning to stop, the car sped away. Police chased the car and brought it to a stop near Sakthikulangara.