5 linked to drug mafia held in Kerala

Five persons suspected to have been involved with a Pakistan-linked drug mafia have been arrested by Kerala Excise Enforcement and Anti-narcotic Special Squad in nearby Aluva while another person allegedly committed suicide and the kingpin was absconding.
Ebin Jose, Abubekkar alias Abeek and Mohammed Shafi surrendered before the squad yesterday in Aluva with 1.6 kg of brown sugar fearing arrest while the other two, Vishnuvardhan and Shyamjith, were arrested today based on information given by the trio, Aluva Excise Circle Inspector T S Sasikumar said.
He said Aluva-based car rental businessman Ibrahim was the kingpin of the mafia which smuggle the drug to Gulf nations from here and was absconding along with his driver since the surrender of the three.

Excise officials suspect Ibrahim might have fled the country.
During interrogation, Vishnuvardhan and Shyamjith, told police that they procured five kg of brown sugar from a suspected Pakistani agent from a hotel in Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir late last month.
The three surrendered were tasked with smuggling the drugs through Bengaluru airport but gave themselves up as they feared that they would be caught, police said.

Travel agent Muhammed Haris, an associate of Ibrahim who had handed over the bag containing the brown sugar to Ebin, allegedly committed suicide yesterday.
Haris was suspected to have used youths seeking job abroad as carriers to smuggle drugs to the Gulf. In several cases, the youths were unaware that they were being used as carrier, police said.

Sasikumar said the department has sought the assistance of Anti-Narcotic Bureau to investigate the suspected Pakistani link in the case.
Out of the five kg brown sugar brought by Vishnuvardhan and Shyamjith, 3.5 kg is suspected to have been smuggled out of the country by Ibrahim through various channels.