Seven hundred tablets seized in major drug haul in Kozhikode

KOZHIKODE: Excise officials seized more than 700 psychotropic drugs near a temple in Vadakara, marking the biggest seizure in the district this year. The drugs, in the form of tablets, were meant to be sold to school students, officials said. A total of 705 Nitrazepam tablets were recovered from Shameer (39), son of Abdul Khader, Alungal house, Thalassery.

Shameer was produced before court on Tuesday and remanded for 14 days. Excise CI K.K. Muraleedharan, who led the seizure, said that there was no network related to the new seizure because the sale of such drugs was difficult in the state. However, after buying, the transportation part is easy, he added.

“Due to unavailability of ganja, people are resorting to new forms of drugs and this is the first seizure of Nitrazepam tablets in the district. Usually, while buying these kinds of drugs, two copies of prescriptions are needed and the correct stock and sale are recorded. This set of medicines have been brought from Bengaluru,” the CI said.