9 Arrested as Kerala excise busts major MDMA network

Excise officials in Kerala have busted what the department has described as the state's biggest synthetic drug racket, arresting nine people — including two women from Kozhikode- who allegedly ran the "KB Cartel" and planned to smuggle 5 to 20 kilograms of MDMA into the state every month.

In a Facebook post on Thursday night, Aug 20, Excise Minister M. Liju congratulated the officers involved, saying the arrests were made under "Operation Thunder," part of the department's wider anti-drug campaign, "Mayangilla Kerala."

The case began with the arrest of a 20-year-old woman from Thamarassery and a man from Kondotty, after 3.5 kilograms of MDMA was seized from them near the Olavanna toll plaza on NH 66 in Kozhikode, Liju said.

Following those arrests, a special team was formed to conduct a detailed probe, and an interstate investigation was launched to trace the source of the network. That investigation led to the arrest of nine people — including two women — who allegedly ran a trafficking operation under the name "KB Cartel," aiming to smuggle 5 to 20 kilograms of MDMA into Kerala each month, the minister said.

The probe extended to Maharashtra, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, with women excise officials taking part in the operation, Liju said. Unlike routine investigations, details were withheld from the media during the probe, which was conducted in strict secrecy — a step Liju said helped investigators identify every link in the network.

He said several of those arrested were already wanted in connection with commercial narcotics cases registered in other states, and called for collective efforts to eradicate the drug menace from Kerala.

(With inputs from PTI)