Pala: Excise officials in Pala seized 99 bottles of 'Methamphetamine,' a drug used for treating cardiac conditions, from a courier centre near Pala General Hospital on Thursday.

According to Excise sources, the large quantity of the drug was intended for misuse as an intoxicant. The team arrested 22-year-old Karthik Vinu, a resident of Kadapatoor near Pala, in connection with the incident.

Officials revealed that Karthik was apprehended while attempting to collect the parcel containing the drug from the courier centre. The arrest followed a tip-off about his plan to pick up the consignment.

The accused has been handed over to the Drug Control Office in Kottayam for further investigation. The Excise team responsible for the operation included Inspectors B Dinesh and Philip Thomas and Excise Preventive Officers Rajesh Joseph and Shibu Joseph, among others.