Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Mar 23: The City Crime Branch (CCB) police have busted a racket involved in selling the banned narcotic substance MDMA to the public and students from an auto-rickshaw in Pumpwell and Ekkur areas of the city.

In the operation carried out on Sunday, March 22, three accused persons were taken into custody and property worth lacs of rupees was seized.

The arrested have been identified as Haider alias Haider Ali (53) of Thokkottu, Mohammed Sajad (29) of Thokkottu, and Jaison Menezes (26), a native of Shirva in Udupi district, currently residing in a flat at Ujjodi.

Acting on credible information, police conducted a raid and apprehended the accused while they were selling the narcotic substance from an auto-rickshaw. From their possession, police seized 26 grams of MDMA worth an estimated Rs 2,50,000, cash amounting to Rs 37,000, five mobile phones, a digital weighing scale, and the auto-rickshaw used for the crime. The total value of the seized property is estimated at Rs 4,37,500.

One of the accused, Haider Ali, is a habitual offender and had previously been involved in a narcotics case in 2024. Criminal cases have also been registered against him at Mangaluru East and Ullal police stations.

Police suspect that more individuals are involved in this drug peddling and distribution network, and further investigation is underway. A case has been registered at Kankanady Town police station, and officers and staff of the CCB unit were part of the successful operation.