Seven youngsters were arrested by the Palarivattom police during an anti-drug raid at a lodge in Ponnurunni on Tuesday (February 25, 2025).

The arrested were identified as Arun K.S., 28, of Ponnurunni, Felix Alex Kurian, 32, of Kottayam, Nevin Jacob, 27, of Eda Kochi, Muhammed Bessam, 27, of Ponnurunni, Pranav Prasad, 30, of Thammanam, Rajesh Chellappan, 31, of Ponnurunni, and Sachin, 27, of Aroor.

The police allegedly seized 24.40 grams of suspected MDMA, 37.10 grams of suspected ganja, eight mobile phones, and ₹9,000 during a search of their room. Other seized items included a plastic bottle with tubes, a small spherical glass tube, a silver-coloured digital weighing machine, and several zip-lock bags. The raid was conducted based on a tip-off that the youngsters had gathered at the lodge reportedly to sell drugs.

The police suspect that the drugs were smuggled in from Bengaluru. The accused were booked under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. Further investigation is under way.