Kozhikode Drug Bust: Firoz Moosa and Sheethal Shivadas Arrested

In a targeted anti-narcotics operation, the Kozhikode Excise Intelligence team arrested two individuals, Firoz Moosa (29) and Sheethal Shivadas (21), from an apartment in Ulliyeri, near the Malabar Medical College area. The raid was conducted based on confidential inputs regarding drug distribution activity in the locality.

Officials recovered 11.83 grams of MDMA and 5.44 grams of ganja, along with packaging materials and an electronic weighing scale, indicating that the substances were not for personal use but for distribution. A case has been registered under the NDPS Act, and further investigation is underway.

Apartment-Based Distribution and Youth Targeting

According to excise officials, the apartment, Blue Meridian, was allegedly being used as a distribution point. The location is significant. Being close to an educational hub, it raises concerns about targeted supply toward students and young individuals.

The presence of packaging material and a weighing scale suggests a structured approach rather than casual involvement. Authorities are now probing supply chains and possible links to a wider network operating in the region.

Not an Isolated Incident

This case adds to a growing list of drug-related arrests in Kozhikode and surrounding areas. Earlier this year, in February 2026, another couple was arrested for involvement in a synthetic drug trafficking network in the same district.

Investigators in that case revealed organized sourcing from major cities and distribution through layered networks. The pattern is becoming harder to ignore, urban hubs, youth-centric locations, and small-scale distribution units feeding a larger supply chain.

This recurring pattern raises a critical question: Is this the new face of Love Jihad, weaponized through narcotics?

The Larger Concern: Normalisation of Drug Culture

While individual cases may appear isolated, together they point toward a broader concern, the gradual normalization of drug use and distribution in urban and semi-urban settings.

Drug networks increasingly rely on informal setups, residential spaces, and digital communication to operate under the radar. The use of apartments as distribution points is part of this evolving strategy.

The risk is not just criminal, it is social. When narcotics begin to circulate in student-heavy areas, the long-term consequences extend far beyond law enforcement.

Need for Sustained Enforcement and Awareness

The swift action by the excise authorities has disrupted one such node. However, the challenge is far from over.

Addressing this issue requires a multi-layered approach, continuous intelligence-led operations, stricter monitoring of suspicious financial and digital activity, and greater public awareness, especially among youth.

Final Thoughts

The Ulliyeri drug bust is a reminder that the narcotics problem is evolving in both scale and method. What may seem like small recoveries often point to larger networks beneath the surface.

Consistent enforcement, combined with social awareness, will be critical in ensuring that such networks do not take deeper root.