<p>Kochi: Police on Sunday seized 90 kg of ganja and arrested three West Bengal natives who were allegedly attempting to smuggle the contraband from Odisha in a car at Pookkattupadi near here.</p>.<p>The accused were identified as Ashiq Iqbal (27) of Jalangi, Murshidabad; Alangir Sardar (25) of Nadia; and Sohail Rana (20) of Saheb Nagar, police said.</p>.<p>They were taken into custody in a joint operation led by the Perumbavoor Assistant Superintendent of Police’s special squad and the Thadiyittaparambu police, based on a tip-off received by Ernakulam Rural Police Chief M Hemalatha.</p>.300 persons booked over bursting crackers during Ganeshotsav procession in Kerala .<p>According to police, the ganja was being transported in a West Bengal-registered car from Odisha to Perumbavoor.</p>.<p>When signalled to stop at Pookkattupadi in the early hours of Sunday, the suspects attempted to flee but were caught after a brief chase.</p>.<p>Preliminary investigations revealed the gang had purchased ganja from Odisha at Rs 2,000 per kg and sold it in Kerala for Rs 25,000-Rs 30,000 per kg.</p>.<p>A police officer said the accused often used byroads after crossing into Kerala to evade checks, and would return to West Bengal after disposing of their stock.</p>.<p>Police said this was among the largest ganja seizures in the district in recent months.</p>.<p>A probe is on to identify their buyers here.</p>.<p>The three were produced in the court and remanded to judicial custody, police added. </p>
<p>Kochi: Police on Sunday seized 90 kg of ganja and arrested three West Bengal natives who were allegedly attempting to smuggle the contraband from Odisha in a car at Pookkattupadi near here.</p>.<p>The accused were identified as Ashiq Iqbal (27) of Jalangi, Murshidabad; Alangir Sardar (25) of Nadia; and Sohail Rana (20) of Saheb Nagar, police said.</p>.<p>They were taken into custody in a joint operation led by the Perumbavoor Assistant Superintendent of Police’s special squad and the Thadiyittaparambu police, based on a tip-off received by Ernakulam Rural Police Chief M Hemalatha.</p>.300 persons booked over bursting crackers during Ganeshotsav procession in Kerala .<p>According to police, the ganja was being transported in a West Bengal-registered car from Odisha to Perumbavoor.</p>.<p>When signalled to stop at Pookkattupadi in the early hours of Sunday, the suspects attempted to flee but were caught after a brief chase.</p>.<p>Preliminary investigations revealed the gang had purchased ganja from Odisha at Rs 2,000 per kg and sold it in Kerala for Rs 25,000-Rs 30,000 per kg.</p>.<p>A police officer said the accused often used byroads after crossing into Kerala to evade checks, and would return to West Bengal after disposing of their stock.</p>.<p>Police said this was among the largest ganja seizures in the district in recent months.</p>.<p>A probe is on to identify their buyers here.</p>.<p>The three were produced in the court and remanded to judicial custody, police added. </p>