Kochi/Palakkad, Apr 11 (PTI) Three West Bengal natives were arrested on Friday in two separate incidents of alleged drug trafficking from Walayar and Kothamangalam areas of Kerala and a total of nearly 24 kilograms of cannabis was seized from them.

One of the arrests was made at Walayar check post in Palakkad district by Excise officials during a routine vehicle inspection, a statement issued by the department said.

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It said that 55-year-old Inam-ul-Haq, hailing from Murshidabad in West Bengal, who was travelling on a KSRTC bus, was caught with allegedly 7.9 kg of cannabis.

He was arrested and taken to the Palakkad Excise Range office, it said.

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In the other incident, two men, also hailing from Murshidabad, were arrested from a bus-stop near Kothamangalam in Ernakulam district based on a tip-off, police said.

It said that 16 kg of cannabis was allegedly seized from the duo -- Mannan Hussain Mandal (44) and Nusleem Sheik (33).

Police further said that the two brought the cannabis from Odisha in 16 packs of one kilogram each and they were hidden between the clothes in their bags.

It also said that the two were regular smugglers of cannabis which they buy from Odisha and sell it in Kerala at 10 times the purchasing price.

The police further said that the two sell the cannabis at various places by reaching the area by train and then using bus or auto.

After that they go back to Odisha for more, it added.

Police also said they were investigating who had bought the narcotics from the two individuals.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)