• RPF seized 37.7 kg of ganja worth approximately Rs 19 lakh.
• The contraband was hidden beneath jaggery in four unattended sacks.
• The seizure took place aboard Vivek Express at Aluva station.
• No arrests have been made; the Excise Department is investigating.

GG News Bureau
Aluva, 6th Nov: The Railway Protection Force (RPF) seized 37.7 kg of ganja, estimated to be worth around Rs 19 lakh, from the Dibrugarh-Kanyakumari Vivek Express at Aluva railway station in Kerala on Thursday. The ganja seizure came during intensified security checks ahead of the Diwali festive season.

The contraband was recovered during an inspection of Train No. 22504 after it arrived at Aluva station. RPF personnel found four unattended sacks in a general compartment that appeared to contain jaggery.

However, a closer examination revealed that ganja had been concealed inside the sacks beneath layers of jaggery.

No arrests have been made so far. Authorities are working to identify those responsible for transporting the contraband.

RPF intensifies festive-season checks
The seizure was carried out by an RPF Crime Intelligence Branch team under the supervision of Thiruvananthapuram Inspector Jipin AJ, following directions from Senior Divisional Security Commissioner Mohammed Haneef.

The seized ganja has been handed over to the Aluva Excise Department for further investigation.

RPF officials said smugglers had previously attempted to transport ganja by concealing it inside everyday objects, including cricket bats, footwear, inverter boxes and paint containers.

With Diwali approaching, the RPF has announced intensified inspections aboard trains and at railway stations to prevent the movement of contraband during the festive rush.