Police invoke PIT NDPS Act against Odisha native for repeated narcotic offenses
Kochi: City police invoked Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT NDPS) Act against an Odisha native for his alleged involvement in repeated incidents of narcotic cases.
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He was moved to preventive detention, police said.
The Act was invoked against Ramesh Kusulia of Rayagada. He was involved in several NDPS cases, including two commercial quantity NDPS cases reported in Oct and Nov within the jurisdiction of Ernakulam Central and Kalamassery police stations.
According to police, Kusulia played a key role in smuggling large quantities of cannabis from Odisha and distributing it across various districts in the state.
In Oct, 24.32kg of cannabis were seized near the Ernakulam South railway station, leading to the arrest of Odisha natives Pintu Nimal and Parshu Nag. Investigations revealed it was Kusulia who supplied the ganja to the duo and facilitated its smuggling to the state. Subsequently, in Nov Kalamassery police arrested Kusulia based on information that he was smuggling 59.24kg of cannabis to the state, along with six others.
Following this, Kochi city police commissioner Putta Vimaladitya ordered action under PIT NDPS Act against him. Based on a report by Ernakulam central police station inspector Aneesh Joy, narcotic cell assistant commissioner Abdul Salam prepared a proposal and Kochi city deputy commissioner Ashwathy Jiji submitted a report against the accused under the Act.
The screening committee and govt approved the report, issuing an order under Section 3(1) of the PIT NDPS Act. As per the order, on June 12, police arrested Kusulia and transferred him to Thiruvananthapuram Poojappura central jail.
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