Malpe, September 6, 2025: In a significant crackdown on drug trafficking, Malpe Police arrested three individuals on the evening of September 5, 2025, near Shri Bobbarya Daivasthana on the KMP Road in Gujjarabettu, Padutonse village, for illegally selling narcotic substances. The operation was conducted following a tip-off about the illicit activity.

The arrested individuals are Achutha N. alias Kiran Mendon (45), a resident of Bolur, Urwa, Mangaluru; Puneeth alias Puneeth Raj (24), from Gujjarabettu; and Chandrakant Katwa, originally from Odisha and currently residing in Padutonse. A fourth suspect, Kishore from Kolalagiri, managed to flee the scene during the police raid.

Acting on credible intelligence about the suspects selling ganja (cannabis) on a motorcycle, the police conducted a targeted operation. Upon spotting the authorities, one suspect escaped, but the three others were apprehended. The police seized 3.480 grams of ganja valued at ₹3,000, MDMA worth ₹10,000, and a motorcycle valued at ₹1,50,000 used in the crime. A case has been registered at the Malpe Police Station under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.