Ambulance used as drug carrier: two held with MDMA in Thrissur

In a case of abuse of emergency services, two men were arrested by the Thrissur city police for trying to smuggle MDMA using an ambulance equipped with a beacon.

The accused — Sandeep (42) of Ancheri and Faith P. Johny (21) of Mannutha — were taken into custody with 252 grams of MDMA, estimated to be worth around Rs 8.5 lakh in the illegal market.

The arrest was made in the early hours of Tuesday during a vehicle check on State Highway 544 near Vaniyambara. Acting on a tip-off received by DANSAF Sub-Inspector Bipin P. Nair, police have intensified checks along the highway since the previous night.

The contraband was transported in an ambulance named “Sharon”, which was allegedly chosen to avoid suspicion and bypass routine checks by law enforcement.

According to City Police Commissioner Nakul R. Deshmukh, the operation was part of a wider anti-drug operation. Investigations are underway to trace the source of the drugs and identify other links in the network.

Police said the MDMA was brought from Bengaluru and was meant to be distributed in different parts of Thrissur. Mobile phones and financial transactions of the accused will also be examined as part of the investigation.

The operation was conducted under the supervision of the City Police Commissioner with a special team led by Narcotics ACP Shibu P., including Mr. Bipin and Ragesh P., along with other police personnel.

Published – 26 May 2026 20:58 IST