Key intermediary in drug sales arrested in Ernakulam

Kochi: Fort Kochi police arrested a key intermediary in the sale of drugs in the city. Arrested person was identified as Arfaz of Vadayar, Thalayolaparambu. He was arrested in a case pertaining to the seizure of 17g of MDMA in Aug 2024. The drug was seized from a Fort Kochi native, Jershon. Subsequent investigations in this case led to the arrest of several individuals, including Safeer, Taufiq, Irfan, Sharon and Tharun.
The investigation revealed that Arfaz acted as an intermediary for Irfan in procuring drugs. Police found that Arfaz was operating under the guise of a freelance consultancy offering admissions to various courses in Bengaluru. He was running the consultancy from a flat while facilitating drug sales, said police.
Police said students who gained admission through him were reportedly getting involved in drug dealings. The probe team also got information that African nationals were visiting his flat, said police.
Although Fort Kochi police then went to Bengaluru to investigate Arfaz, he evaded capture. Later, based on a tip-off that he would attend a close friend's wedding in Muvattupuzha, Fort Kochi police, with the help of Muvattupuzha police, apprehended him.
Police said the accused was operating as an intermediary by providing phone numbers of African nationals to drug buyers and collecting large commissions. Safeer, Irfan and Taufiq are currently detained under PIT NDPS Act in Thiruvananthapuram Central Jail, said police.