Major MDMA bust at Thiruvananthapuram airport: 1.2 Kg seized, four arrested

Thiruvananthapuram: In a major crackdown on drug trafficking, the Kerala Police seized 1,265 grams of MDMA and arrested four individuals who allegedly smuggled the synthetic drug into the state from Muscat through Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.

According to Thiruvananthapuram Rural SP K S Sudharshan, the arrests were made by the District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF) under Thiruvananthapuram Rural Police, following a tip-off. The suspects were intercepted at Kallambalam junction after arriving from Muscat on an Air India flight late Wednesday night.

“We have arrested Shiju alias Sanju (41), V Unnikannan (39), R Prameen (35) and S Nandu (32),” the SP confirmed. “The prime accused in the case, Shiju, already has two MDMA cases against him and was under the radar of the DANSAF team.”

Police said Shiju, along with his family and co-accused Nandu, flew in from Muscat and travelled from the airport in two separate vehicles — an Innova carrying the family, while the luggage was transported in another car. It was in one of these bags that officers found MDMA concealed inside a pack of dates.

Authorities estimate the seized MDMA has a street value of up to ₹2 crore.

SP Sudharshan added, “We have information that Shiju has travelled to Muscat three times already this year, and further details regarding these trips are now being investigated.”

The incident has raised questions over how the contraband passed undetected through airport scanning systems. “We will investigate whether Shiju received any assistance from anyone at the airport,” Sudharshan stated.

In addition to the MDMA, police also recovered 17 bottles of foreign liquor, presumably brought from duty-free shops and seized both vehicles used in the operation.

Police suspect that Shiju, who is unemployed but owns several luxury vehicles and is currently building a 4,000 sq ft residence, has deep links to a wider drug distribution network. His name surfaced during an earlier investigation when arrested traffickers identified him as a key supplier. He was previously arrested in a similar case.

Investigators believe his current operations may extend as far as Kochi, and further inquiries are underway to trace his distribution channels.