KOCHI: Yumito Foods, MD, Vijin Varghese, has been arrested again in Mumbai for smuggling cocaine worth Rs.502 crores under the cover of importing apples. He was arrested, earlier, for smuggling drugs worth Rs.1476 crore under the pretext of importing oranges.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), last week, stopped a truck carrying oranges from a cold storage godown in Vashi, Mumbai. The DRI officials confiscated the biggest haul of drugs in history from the truck. Following this, the DRI officials investigated the godown and found another 50.1 kg of cocaine in apple crates. The goods in other godowns are also being investigated.

Yumito Foods, based at Kalady, was registered in Kochi in 2018 with Vijin Varghese as the MD and his brother Jibin Varghese as the Director. The company used to import fruits from South African company More Fresh Exports run by Malappuram native Mansoor Thachaparambil.

Investigating officers believe that Vijin Varghese, who comes from a poor family, does not have the capability to run a big business and that the drug mafia under Mansoor is behind this.

DRI has approached Interpol to bring back Mansoor, who went to South Africa from India, two weeks back.

After Vijin’s arrest, the Excise had searched the godown of Yumito Foods in Kalady and two other rented cold storage facilities. However, they could not find any drugs. Also, two traders who received goods from More Fresh Exports are under surveillance.