Nearly two years after the seizure of about 90 grams of Methamphetamine from an apartment in Kakkanad, the excise crime branch arrested an absconding accused in the case from Bengaluru.

The arrested was identified as Tony aka Amal Thomas, 27, of Thodupuzha. He was accused of making excessive financial transactions related to drug deals. He is the 23rd accused in the case.

The accused had a lookout notice issued against him since he had gone into hiding. Excise officials on his trail received a tip-off that the accused was hiding in Bengaluru from where he was nabbed on Monday.

According to officials, the accused turned violent on seeing the crime branch team, which overpowered him and took him into custody. He was produced before the Kakkanad Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, which remanded him in 14 days judicial custody.

The case has 26 accused, including two residents of Tamil Nadu, “Two more accused remain to be nabbed in the case,” said excise sources.

Excise officials had seized the drug measuring 83.896 grams on August 19, 2021. It was the first of the two successive seizures made by excise officials from the same flat, as it was followed by an even greater catch of 1.08 kilograms of Methamphetamine.

The drug was initially mistaken for MDMA till a chemical analysis report from the Regional Chemical Examiner’s Laboratory at Kakkanad proved it wrong.

The drug consignments were suspected to be part of nearly 4 kgs smuggled in from Chennai and Puducherry to Kerala. Following this, excise officials had conducted extensive probe in both places. It was suspected to have been smuggled in from Spain via Sri Lanka.

“We have already filed two separate charge sheets in connection with the two seizures. The case registered in connection with the second haul had nine accused and all of them have been arrested. In fact, both the cases had common accused,” said excise sources.

A team led by excise crime branch assistant commissioner Maju T. M. and comprising of preventive officer Salih K., civil excise officers Shiju V. G., Jitheesh. B., and driver Shiju George arrested the absconding accused from Bengaluru.