KOCHI: The Excise sleuths, on Thursday, nabbed the notorious gang of ganja peddlers known by the name Highway Stuff Thugs from Kalamassery. They were on their way to Kozhikode for the Onam sale of ganja packets in order to pep up the festival celebrations.

They did the business, centralising their activities around college and private hostels. Deputy Excise Commissioner A S Ranjith, who heads Operation Vishudhi, said that the gang also had plans to grow their business in colleges.

Highway Stuff Thugs spotted new clients during art festivals in colleges and enhanced their business. They usually stole ganja from smugglers along Tamil Nadu border and sold it to students in colleges and hostels.

In the operation carried out by a special squad, 4 kg ganja and car were also seized. The arrested youths are Malappuram Tirur natives Rafid (27), Anoop (27), Yasir (31) and Malappuram Koottayi native Anwar (37). The Excise officials said that all the accused were Engineering College drop-outs. The officials said their intension was to make money and expand their business.

Based on a secret information, the special squad waited for the gang at Kalamassery container road on Thursday. Seeing the police, the youths sped past them in their car when they were waved down. The squad, which followed them in their vehicle, intercepted the gang’s car after a chase. Though the youths tried to attack the police and escape, they were overpowered by the special team that included Assitant Commissioner Sajith Kumar, Secial squad inspector P Sreeraj, Preventive Officers Ram Prasad, Ram Prasad, George Joseph, P L George, Civil Excise Officers M M Arun Kumar, Siddharthan and Vipin Das.