Adimaly: Plus-Two students caught with banned narcotic substances had pooled money to procure the drugs from Thrissur, officials said. About 100 students were on a field trip to Munnar on two buses and had stopped at Adimaly for breakfast. Three strolled into the Narcotic Enforcement Squad office, seeking a matchbox. Seized vehicles parked on the office premises made them believe they were entering a workshop. The students fled when they realized the blunder, but the officers caught them.

Excise officers who interrogated the students found that a 10-member group of students had pooled money to procure the banned substances, which changed hands three times before reaching the students. On searching their vehicles, the squad members seized five grams of ganja and a gram of hashish oil from the students. Officers noted that some of the detained students had used drugs previously. 

The Excise Department said drug abuse among school and college students has been on an upswing. Vehicle inspections over the past month found seven cases of drugs in possession of teenagers, Excise Enforcement Circle Inspector Ragesh B Chirayath said.