Dancer, wanted in drug case, arrested in Kochi

KOCHI A 39-year-old man, who had been absconding for nearly two years, was arrested by the Nedumbassery police in connection with the seizure of 316 grams of suspected MDMA, the police said on Saturday (November 14). The arrested is Lijo Joy, a dancer and resident of Kodikuthumala, Aluva. The police said he had been wanted in connection with the seizure of suspected contraband, including 316 grams of MDMA, two LSD stamps, and 420 grams of ganja, from a car at Athani on June 27, 2024.

The drugs were allegedly being transported from Bengaluru. Three people — Azad, 38, of Aluva, Harikrishnan, 28, of Malappuram, and Ragesh, 32, of Thrissur — were arrested earlier in the case. According to the police, Lijo allegedly coordinated the drug supply to various locations by routing financial transactions through Ragesh, who was nabbed from Himachal Pradesh. Lijo was produced before a court and remanded in judicial custody, the police said.