MDMA wholesaler arrested in Kochi, 281g drug seized

Kochi: Excise officials arrested an alleged wholesale supplier of MDMA in Kochi on Saturday. Varun Dev, 35, of Thiruvalla in Pathanamthitta was allegedly sourcing drugs from Delhi and distributing them in the city.Acting on information that he had arrived in Kochi allegedly to finalise a drug deal, the team tracked his vehicle and intercepted it in the Vyttila area after a chase. The occupants initially refused to open the doors, following which the team searched the vehicle and recovered 232g of MDMA concealed beneath the steering wheel.Vipin S Kumar, 30, also from Thiruvalla, who was allegedly accompanying Dev, was arrested. The vehicle was taken into custody.The arrests followed an earlier raid at a private luxury hotel in the Kaloor area based on confidential information received by the excise department. The raid, led by excise inspector Abhiraj, resulted in the seizure of 49g of MDMA kept in three packets and the arrest of two persons. The arrested are Siddiq, 27, of Paravur and an 18-year-old woman from Pachalam.According to the officials, the two had allegedly brought the MDMA for sale at drug parties during Onam season. They reportedly told the investigators that the drug had been purchased from Dev.