Kochi: Youth with synthetic drugs held

KOCHI: Excise sleuths on Thursday arrested a youth from Aluva for alleged possession and sale of synthetic drugs. The accused was identified as Ashkar Ali (20), a native of Brahma-puram West.

A total of 50 nitrazepam tablets, a hypnotic drug, were seized from him.

"We acted on a tip-off and took into him into custody from the service road from Aluva to Periyar while he was attempting to sell the same. A probe is on to find his customers," said an excise official.

The other day, an excise squad led by special squad inspector P. Sriraj had arrested one Shiras Nishad and seized 100 nitrazepam tablets from him. "We'll also put some medical shops under the scanner who we suspect to be giving the drugs to youths," the official said.