The Excise department in Kochi has arrested an alleged drug peddler, Shah Rukh Khan, with 1.058 kg of suspected cannabis from a residential area at Chakkaraparambu near Vyttila. The arrest was made by an Excise special squad led by Circle Inspector Ranjith Kumar on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. According to the Excise, Khan was caught dropping a suspected cannabis parcel in a vacant plot near a residential association’s house number board.
The Excise department has claimed to have intensified its crackdown on the ‘dead drop’ trafficking method, where peddlers leave narcotic substances at specific locations and send photographs of landmarks to their customers. Officials said dealers engaged in ‘dropping’ collect payment in advance through digital transfers and leave parcels containing narcotics at secluded locations. The peddlers then send photographs or videos of the exact location to buyers, who later collect the contraband.
Common drop points include metro pillars, numbered parking slots at shopping malls, electric poles in isolated areas, and residential areas displaying house numbers. The department claimed that its recent operations had resulted in several seizures linked to similar networks. The major Excise drug hauls include the seizure of 22 kg of suspected ganja from the residence of an accused known as ‘Psycho Sabu’ at Vallarpadam and 18 kg of the suspected narcotic from Selvaraj, a Tamil Nadu native.
The Excise department’s crackdown on the ‘dead drop’ method is part of its efforts to curb the growing trend of drug trafficking in the city. The department has been working to identify and dismantle the networks involved in this type of trafficking, and the recent seizures are a result of these efforts.
The ‘dead drop’ method has become a major concern for the Excise department, as it allows peddlers to operate without being physically present at the location. The department is working to stay one step ahead of the peddlers and disrupt their networks. With the recent seizures and arrests, the Excise department is hopeful that it can make a dent in the drug trafficking trade in the city.
