Kochi, 11 September (H.S.):A week-long surveillance operation has helped the Kochi Excise team uncover a suspected link in the synthetic drug supply chain operating in Mattancherry. Officials seized 305.396 grams of methamphetamine and ₹2.9 lakh in cash from a rented room at Panayappilly.

The arrested man was identified as Shifas A.S., alias Bappuji, 28. The breakthrough came days after the arrest of alleged narcotics supplier Varun Dev. Excise Intelligence officials began looking for another operator after synthetic drugs continued to reach Mattancherry despite the earlier crackdown.

Acting on specific intelligence, officers tracked Shifas for nearly a week. Plainclothes personnel maintained round-the-clock surveillance during the final two days and allegedly confirmed that he was engaged in drug sales before conducting the raid.

The operation was led by Kochi Circle Excise Inspector Prasanth R. Besides the methamphetamine, which constitutes a commercial quantity under the law, officers confiscated a mobile phone and cash allegedly collected through drug sales over six days.

The money was found stored in envelopes and was reportedly intended to be distributed as a share of the profits to another accused, who is absconding.

Preliminary questioning indicated that the drugs had been sourced from Bengaluru and transported to Kerala by train. Investigators suspect that Shifas handled consignments weighing between 500 grams and one kilogram.

The drugs were allegedly divided into packets of 20 to 50 grams and supplied to local peddlers. They were subsequently repackaged into sachets weighing 0.5 gram or one gram for retail distribution.

Investigators said privacy-focused applications, including Signal, were used instead of WhatsApp or Telegram. Some applications were allegedly concealed under names such as ‘Weather’ and ‘Calculator’. Devices and user profiles were reportedly registered in the names of family members.

Officials said the network relied entirely on cash, leaving little banking trail. Call records, location details and suspected delivery points are being examined.

Shifas has been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, and procedures for his judicial remand are underway.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman