Wayanad: Abou, a native of Ivory Coast, understood to be a key player in a South Indian drug racket, was arrested by the Special Investigation team headed by District Superintendent of Police Padam Singh.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday SP Padam Singh said his team had tracked the drug linchpin for several months before taking him into custody from a hideout at Srirampuram in Bengaluru on Thursday.

The West African, who goes by several aliases such as Daniel and Baba, was nabbed while handing over the banned substance MDMA to a drug dealer Anees. According to the SIT officer, Abou operated an MDMA production unit in Bengaluru.

According to the investigating team, Abou's arrest was the outcome of meticulous planning following a series of arrests that began with the seizure of 106 grams of MDMA from a car at the Tholpetti inter-state check-post on November 5, 2022.

The Tirunelli Police had arrested three Malappuram natives -- Muhammed Unais, 31, a native of Kuttippala and Venniyoor natives Hafseer, 25 Muhammed Faris, 27.

Tracking their supply route, a team led by Tirunelli SHO, PL Shyju arrested another Junais Chantheri, 24, alias Yasir on November 17. Junais was another major MDMA supplier who operated out of Bengaluru. He is in prison now.

Junais had revealed the name Anees, a native of Ottappalam. The SIT had reached Bengaluru in pursuit of Anees and while he managed to escape during the raid, Abou, the bigger fish, landed in the net.

Five have been arrested in connection with the drug racket case. The accused will be produced at the Narcotics Court here, the police said.