MALAPPURAM: Two lorries stationed at a biscuit godown in Edapal have been seized by the excise department. The lorry freighted banned marijuana leaves that cost around Rs 1.5 crores, which was also concealed by the excise. These groups used to take these banned substances from Bengaluru and somehow found a wiggle room to escape the checkposts to store these loads in Malappuram. Excise has been shadowing every move of these groups for the past two months. A secret call giving hint about the arrival of the next load made the officials hatch up a sudden plan to catch the group. This is considered one of the biggest raids to happen in Kerala in the recent past.

The driver of the lorry Yusuf, Zainuddin, and Shameer have been taken into custody. Ponnani native Shoukath is said to be the master brain behind the illegal transit of marijuana from Banglore. Headed by the Malappuram excise commissioner, ‘OPERATION NO TOBACCO’ was conducted with the cooperation of Malappuram excise intelligence to catch the culprits.

The group owned a supermarket, and behind the veneer of normal work used to freight marijuana leaves from Bengaluru often.