Saturday, March 29, 2025
Kochi, September 19, 2025 – Customs officials in Kochi have seized hybrid marijuana worth nearly ₹2 crore and arrested one person in connection with the case. The arrested individual has been identified as Zakaria Titus, a resident of Vaduthala, Kochi.
According to officials, Titus was caught on Thursday while receiving a parcel at a courier service office. The parcel, which had originated from Thailand, was found inside his car. Upon inspection, customs officers recovered two kilograms of hybrid marijuana, concealed within the package.
Hybrid marijuana is produced by combining different varieties of cannabis using advanced cultivation techniques to enhance its potency and psychoactive effects. Officials explained that this type of marijuana is more dangerous and expensive than regular cannabis and is in growing demand in illegal drug markets.
Following the seizure, Titus was immediately taken into custody. Investigators suspect that he is an active drug trafficker operating in Kochi. Authorities are now probing his network and examining his activities in the city. Titus will soon be presented before court as part of the remand process.
A senior customs officer noted that seizures of Thailand-sourced marijuana have significantly increased in Kochi in recent months. Officials believe smuggling networks are attempting to exploit courier services and luxury vehicles to transport large consignments.
In a separate case from Kaushambi district in Uttar Pradesh, police intercepted a luxury car carrying 105 kilograms of marijuana worth around ₹50 lakh. During routine patrolling, officers from the Kokhraj police station noticed a suspiciously parked car outside a hotel on National Highway 2. Upon searching the vehicle, they discovered large sacks filled with marijuana. One inter-state smuggler was arrested on the spot, said Additional Superintendent of Police Rajesh Kumar Singh.
