Four persons arrested with banned tobacco products

Kochi: Ernakulam rural police seized four sacks of banned tobacco products and arrested four persons in Perumbavoor on Thursday.

UP natives Karan Saroj, 20, Vikas Saroj, 28, Ramnath, 20, and Saddam Hussein, 25, were arrested in connection with the seizure. The seizure was made by a special investigation team led by Perumbavoor ASP as part of Operation Toofan.

The raid was carried out based on a tip-off received by district police chief K S Sudarshan. Prohibited tobacco items, kept for sale on the first floor of a building near Perumbavoor private bus stand, were confiscated. The accused told police the goods were brought from Bengaluru. They were allegedly selling them to students and migrant workers. Additionally, six people from Assam were taken into custody with heroin that was brought for sale. The probe team included Perumbavoor ASP Hardik Meena, inspector L Anilkumar and SI Jojo George.

Meanwhile, city police arrested a man with LSD stamps in Palluruthy. The accused is Anu Joy, 36, of Palluruthy. Acting on confidential information received by city commissioner S Kaliraj Mahesh Kumar, Dansaf team led by narcotic cell assistant commissioner T D Sunilkumar made the seizure and arrest.