Global drug mafia making Kochi a hub for their activity: govt

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Press Trust of India Kochi
Last Updated : Mar 10 2015 | 8:13 PM IST
Global drug mafia is making Kochi, bustling business centre of Kerala, a hub for their activities, the state government tol the Kerala High Court today.
The Director General of Prosecution said this while objecting to a bail application moved film actor Shine Tom Chacko and four women who were arrested here in connection with a cocaine case.
The court dismissed the bail plea of the accused, saying the case diary produced by the investigation reveals their complicity in the crime.
Considering the case, Justice Kemal Pasha observed that at present it cannot be said that search conducted in the flat from where they were found is vitiated.
The case pertains to the seizure of cocaine and the arrest of five, including Chacko, on January 31 from a posh flat in Kadavanthra here.
Opposing the bail plea, the DGP said international drug mafia is behind the drug trafficking and they are making Kochi their hub.
The recent arrest of a Nigerian national in connection with the case reveals the fact that Kochi is becoming the hub of global drug mafia, he said.
"The arrested Nigerian national has made shocking revelations. That has to be examined," he said.
A detailed inquiry is needed into the case, the prosecution said.
The prosecution said that in Kochi, 550 cases related to drug trafficking have been registered in which 648 persons were allegedly involved. It reveals that Kochi is becoming a hub of global drug mafia, he said.
Shine Tom and four women were arrested from the flat linked with controversial businessman Mohammad Nisham who was arrested from Thrissur earlier on the charge of killing a security guard deliberately hitting him with his car.
Police had recovered 7 gm of cocaine in the flat from where they were arrested.
Kerala police have questioned Nigerian national Okowe Chigozie Collins who was arrested in Goa last week for allegedly supplying cocaine to the 'smoke party' involving the film actor and four women.
Kerala police have secured a CCTV footage in which Collins is seen allegedly handing over cocaine to one of the women at Kochi railway station.
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First Published: Mar 10 2015 | 8:13 PM IST

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