Mangaluru police report MDMA seizure from water purifier

Mangaluru police reported on October 9 that three suspects had been arrested and about 1.79 kg of MDMA seized. Police valued the consignment at 15.8 million rupees.

According to the Central Crime Branch, the drug arrived by courier from Punjab concealed in a water purifier's storage tank. Investigators believe the consignment was intended for sale in Mangaluru and parts of Kerala.

Police identified the suspects as Abdul Hafil, 25, of Mangalpady in Kasaragod district, Zia Ul Haq, 30, of Kasaba Bengre in Mangaluru, and Althaf, 28, of the city's Bajal area. They were arrested near a D-Mart store in Kumpala at 10 p.m. on October 8.

Officers also seized three mobile phones, the water purifier, a car and an autorickshaw. The allegations against the three are set out in the police account.

The information about the suspected group came from Kasaragod police. Earlier on October 8, they arrested Ahammad Rukshad, 33, and Abdul Hameed, 30, both from Mangalpady, at Nileshwar railway station. Police said they found 697 grams of MDMA brought from Punjab.

Police also reported previous drug consumption cases involving Abdul Hafil and Althaf. According to their account, Zia Ul Haq previously served a three-year prison sentence for drug dealing in Ras Al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates.