Absconding Chennai man poses hurdle in Kochi drug racket case

The drug, which was initially mistaken for MDMA, was found to be methamphetamine

Nearly six months after seizing about 1.20 kg methamphetamine, a synthetic drug, from a service apartment at Thrikkakara in two separate raids in successive days, the excise crime branch is yet to nab the Chennai-based accused who is suspected to have played a critical role in arranging the substance.

The accused, identified as Shamsudheen Sait of Thondayarpettu in Chennai, remains absconding. While the investigation team has tracked down his acquaintances and relatives, he remains elusive, frustrating the investigators and delaying the logical conclusion of the case.

“Shamsudheen is critical to take our investigation to the next level since we have established that it was he who arranged the drug from Chennai. While we suspect the drug to have been smuggled in from Spain with the aid of the racket’s connection in Sri Lanka, only his arrest will help us to reach a conclusion on this beyond any doubt,” said investigation sources.