17 kg of suspected hybrid ganja seized in Ernakulam; one held

The anti-narcotics wing of the Ernakulam rural police on Wednesday seized about 17 kg of suspected hybrid ganja from a 39-year-old man in one of the biggest seizures of the drug in the state.

Ayush, a native of Arukad in Vypeen, was arrested with contraband estimated to be worth several crores of rupees from Marampilla near Perumbavoor. He was nabbed during a check conducted by the District Special Anti-Narcotics Unit of the Ernakulam Rural Police.

Police initially recovered 1.25 kg of suspected hybrid ganja from the scooter he was riding. The ganja was found hidden in a plastic cover in the vehicle. Further questioning led to searches of the apartment where he was staying, and the police seized another 16 kg of contraband from there.

Police sources said Ayush was under the radar of the anti-narcotics wing for some time. He allegedly moved into the apartment a week ago. They added that the market value of the narcotic will be determined based on factors including its quality. The drug bust comes a day before Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala is scheduled to visit Ernakulam to attend programs related to ‘Operation Toofan: The Narco Hunt’, a nationwide anti-drug drive.

Published – 25 Jun 2026 01:29 IST