Kochi: Kerala is currently the scene of parallel multi-agency investigations into the operations of highly sensational gold smuggling and narcotics rackets with links to political, entertainment and diplomatic communities.
Anoop Mohammad, who was arrested in the Bengaluru drug case, had earlier escaped getting caught by the shadow police wing.
After getting a tip-off that drugs were distributed at a party being held at a prominent hotel in the city, the police team had arrived to carry out checks. Anoop, a resident of Vennala, Kochi, was also present at the party.
The officers had received information that drugs were procured from Bengaluru. However, a scuffle broke out at the party, and the inspection was foiled.
The central police arrived and took everyone in custody.
However, Anoop was then let off after the son of a prominent political leader intervened. Recent developments revealed that his operations were sponsored by Bineesh Kodiyeri, the son of Kerala CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.
Anoop had been present at several parties held in Kochi in the last five years, as per the information received by the Customs. Some film stars had also participated in these parties and expensive drugs were reportedly used.
However, Anoop's luck ran out as he was nabbed by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) during the seizure of ecstasy tablets in Bengaluru on August 21.
His associate Bineesh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) over alleged financial transactions with him.
The investigations carried out by the Kochi Unit of ED had found that certain film functionaries had also invested in Anoop's drug business on the guarantee of Bineesh. Mithun C Vilas, a resident of Kochi who is known as DJ Kokachi and who is also an accused in drug racket case, had given a similar statement before the Bengaluru NCB.
Drug route and links
The probe agencies said that drugs were trafficked to Kerala mainly via Bengaluru. Drugs are also procured from Goa, Mumbai, and Delhi. Certain students are the carriers of drug gangs.
The drug gangs have close links to hawala and gold smuggling gangs. This has been proven in several cases in the state.
Drugs are smuggled in mainly from abroad. The agent abroad is paid in Dollars. The hawala agents relied on by gold smugglers can transfer money, in whichever currency, to any corner of the world. The money, equivalent to the transaction, should be given to the hawala gang in Dubai or Kerala.
The gold smuggling gangs also depend on the hawala groups for procuring money and arranging carriers. The practice of the same carrier taking drugs to the Gulf and smuggling back gold has also been on the rise. This is proof of the nexus between drugs and gold smuggling gangs. The agencies got information about this during a probe into the case in which over 100 Keralites were caught for drug trafficking in Qatar.
