Alappuzha, April 2 (IANS) After an intense three-month-long surveillance operation, Kerala Excise officials have arrested Tasleem Sultana, a key figure in the state’s narcotics trade. During interrogation, Sultana allegedly revealed that prominent Malayalam film actors Shine Tom Chacko and Sreenath Bhasi were among her clients.

Acting on a tip-off, Excise officials took Sultana and her accomplice into custody from a resort near Alappuzha on Tuesday night. The operation led to the seizure of hybrid ganja worth approximately Rs 2 crore in the open market.

Officials had been tracking Sultana’s movements for months, identifying her as a major supplier of drugs from Chennai into Kerala.

"We had been gathering intelligence on her for three months. She finally fell into our trap," said Excise Deputy Commissioner S. Vinod Kumar.

He confirmed that Sultana had close ties with the Malayalam film industry and had disclosed several names, including those of Chacko and Bhasi.

Hailing from Kannur, Sultana primarily operates from Chennai, frequently traveling to Kochi and Alappuzha, which, officials believe, served as key hubs for her distribution network.

Over the years, she developed strong ties with the Malayalam film industry, using her contacts to secure minor acting roles in a few films.

Investigators suspect that this helped her establish relationships with actors, including those who allegedly procured drugs from her.

While Excise officials have confirmed that Chacko and Bhasi were named, they have remained tight-lipped about her other potential clients. Sultana’s mobile phone has been confiscated, and officials are analyzing its data for more leads.

This is not Sultana’s first brush with the law. She has a previous record, having been arrested earlier for her involvement in a sex racket.

Actor Shine Tom Chacko, too, has had a controversial past. In 2015, he was arrested along with four models for cocaine possession but was acquitted a decade later due to lack of evidence.

Meanwhile, Sreenath Bhasi was questioned last year in connection with a Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) case linked to alleged gangster Om Prakash.

With Sultana in custody, Excise officials have launched an elaborate probe to uncover the full extent of her operations.

--IANS

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