Ambulance used as drug carrier: two held with MDMA in Thrissur

In a case of misusing emergency services, two men were arrested by Thrissur City police for attempting to smuggle MDMA using an ambulance fitted with a beacon light.

The accused—Sandeep, 42, of Ancheri and Faith P. Johny, 21, of Mannuthy—were taken into custody with 252 grams of MDMA, estimated to be worth around ₹8.5 lakh in the illegal market.

The arrests were made in the early hours of Tuesday during a vehicle inspection on the National Highway 544 near Vaniyambara. Acting on a tip-off received by DANSAF Sub-Inspector Bipin P. Nair, the police had intensified checks along the highway since the previous night.

The contraband was being transported in an ambulance named “Sharon,” allegedly chosen to evade suspicion and bypass routine checks by law enforcement agencies.

According to City Police Commissioner Nakul R. Deshmukh, the operation was part of a wider anti-narcotics drive. Investigations are under way to trace the source of the drugs and identify other links in the network.

The police said the MDMA was brought from Bengaluru and was intended for distribution across various parts of Thrissur. The accused’s mobile phones and financial transactions will also be examined as part of the probe.

The operation was carried out under the supervision of the City Police Commissioner, with a special team led by Narcotics ACP Shibu P., including Mr. Bipin and Ragesh P., along with other police personnel.