Excise officers in Palakkad arrested 31-year-old Ananthu Bhaskar of Valiya Parambil house in Eranad, Malappuram, when they searched bus traffic during a vehicle inspection.[1][2] They caught him at the roadside in front of the labour camp near the toll gate where vehicles coming from Coimbatore enter Palakkad at Pambampallam toll plaza.[1] Officers seized 420.692 grams of hashish oil that he was allegedly carrying on the bus, along with 0.527 grams of methamphetamine found in the same check.[1][2]
The vehicle check was conducted as part of Operation Thunder, the Excise Department’s enforcement drive, by the Palakkad Excise Enforcement and Anti-Narcotic Special Squad led by Circle Inspector N. Noufal.[1][2] Officers registered a case against the accused under the NDPS Act, India’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances law that governs drug offences.[1] Preventive Officer S. Sujith Kumar, Preventive Officer Grade K. Anand, Civil Excise Officers N. Rajith and D. Kishore, and Woman Civil Excise Officer V. Archana of the Palakkad squad took part in the inspection.[1]
The check took place at about 4.50 a.m. on 1 November near the Ganeshapuram Pampampallam toll plaza in Puthussery Central village, Palakkad district, on interstate bus KL 41 V 9099 travelling from Coimbatore to Palakkad.[2] The accused was booked as NDPS CR 89/2026 under Sections 20(b)(ii)(B) and 22(a) of the NDPS Act.[2]
