Rathinapuri Police Crack Down on Ganja Chocolate Sale; Three Remanded

Coimbatore: Three youths, including a former IT employee who had worked at a company in Bengaluru, were arrested by the Rathinapuri police for allegedly possessing and selling ganja and ganja chocolates near Shastri Road in Coimbatore. Police seized one kilogram of ganja, 148 ganja chocolates and a two-wheeler from them. The arrests followed a tip-off received by Assistant Sub-Inspector Gajendran regarding the alleged sale of ganja and prohibited ganja chocolates near the crematorium on Shastri Road, within the limits of the Rathinapuri Police Station. Based on the information, a special team comprising Head Constable Solomon and Grade-I Police Constable Prabhu carried out vehicle checks in the area. During the checks, the police intercepted three youths who were travelling on a two-wheeler. A search of the vehicle allegedly led to the recovery of one kilogram of ganja and 148 ganja chocolates, which police said were intended for sale. The two-wheeler used for transporting the contraband was also seized. The arrested persons were identified as Abubakker Siddique, 25, Sarpudeen, 22, and Murugan, 21. According to the police, Abubakker Siddique had previously worked for an IT company in Bengaluru. During the investigation, police reportedly found that the three had travelled to the Chittoor region along the Tamil Nadu-Andhra Pradesh border last week, where they allegedly procured the ganja and ganja chocolates from an unidentified person. Police suspect that the contraband was subsequently brought to Coimbatore for sale in the Shastri Road area, where a large number of daily-wage workers and migrant workers reside. A case has been registered at the Rathinapuri Police Station. The three arrested youths were produced before a court and subsequently lodged in Coimbatore Central Prison. The Rathinapuri Police Station Crime Investigation Wing Inspector John Kingsley Christopher is continuing the investigation into the source of the contraband and its alleged distribution network.