The police investigating the seizure of 18 kg of suspected hybrid ganja, estimated to be worth crores of rupees, from a couple in Perumbavoor have arrested five more persons, all natives of Palakkad district, in connection with the case.

The arrested have been identified as Abu Thahir, 39, of Puthanoor, Mundoor; Harikrishnan Valiyaparambil, 25, of Ottappalam; Presjith Athaniparambil, 40, of Kadampazhippuram; Sreejesh Thekkethil, 41, of Ottappalam; and Sanjay P., 22, of Ottappalam, the police said on Sunday (June 28).

The police sources said the accused were apprehended from different locations. Abu Thahir, suspected to be the kingpin of the racket, was taken into custody from Bengaluru. The police suspect that the group was trafficking hybrid ganja from Thailand by sponsoring agents to travel to the country and smuggle the contraband.

The case stems from the seizure of 18 kg of suspected hybrid ganja from a couple, Ayush, 39, a native of Arukad in Vypeen, and his wife Anika, 30, during Operation Toofan: The Narco Hunt, carried out by the Ernakulam Rural District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force on Wednesday (June 24).

The police initially recovered 1.25 kg of the suspected hybrid ganja from the scooter ridden by Ayush. His interrogation led to a search of the flat where the couple lived at Kunnuvazhi, resulting in the seizure of an additional 16.50 kg of the contraband and the arrest of his wife.

Ernakulam Range DIG G.H. Yathish Chandra had told the media that the seized contraband had an estimated street value of around ₹18 crore.