PALAKKAD: Following a tip-off received by State Excise Enforcement Squad Circle Inspector T Anikumar, 178.4 kg of ganja and deadly weapons were seized during a search operation in Walayar. Binu Mohammad Bilal, of Puthenveet Parampil in Thandekkad in Vengola village in Ernakulam, was arrested for smuggling ganja in a car from Andhra Pradesh.

The car accompanying the vehicle was also seized. The squad has received information that they are the aides of Arafath, a native of Aluva. Weapons were recovered from the cars. The accused also confessed to smuggling ganja earlier.

Circle Inspector T Anikumar, Head of State Excise Enforcement Squad, Circle Inspector G Krishnakumar, Excise Inspectors TR Mukesh Kumar, KV Vinod, S Madhusudan Nair, Preventive Officer Prajosh Kumar, Civil Excise Officers P Subin, Visakh, Shamnad, Rajesh R, Muhammadali, Arun Kumar M, M Basant Kumar and driver Rajeev were in the squad. The accused and mainour were handed over to the Palakkad Excise Range for further action.