Smell of ganja in dates packets, excise seize eight kilos of cannabis

WALAYAR: The police arrested a native of Tamil Nadu man for trying to smuggle eight kilograms of ganja under the cover of packet of dates. M Ravichandran (49), a native of Pudukkottai, was arrested during a vehicle inspection by the excise check post team. He tried to smuggle the stuff in KSRTC bus.

The packets of dates were piled on top of the ganja. The official found ganja when he removed all the packets of dates after smelling ganja. The accused said the cannabis was smuggled from Thiruchendur to Kozhikode and is being sold at Kozhikode Harbour. The excise said he had earlier smuggled cannabis under the cover of vegetables and fruits in a similar manner.

A team comprising excise inspector Sijo Varghese, preventive officers Mohammad Sharif, C Shibu Kumar, V Praveen, K Venugopal, V Devakumar and civil excise officers T S Anil Kumar and N Ranjith led the inspection.