11 kg amphetamine seized near Chennai
3 Lankans among 6 nabbed; NCB sees growing involvement of Lankan drug traffickers
BENGALURU/CHENNAI:
On the basis of specific intelligence developed by NCB-Chennai, an Eicher truck with a single occupant was intercepted at the national highway at Chennai-Gumudipundi early on Monday. A search resulted in the recovery of 11 packets of one kg each of amphetamine, concealed under tarpaulin. Subsequently, 5 more persons were nabbed from different locations in Chennai and other places in Tamil Nadu. Of them, 3 are Sri Lankan nationals and 3 are Indian nationals.
Those arrested included the financer, carrier, middleman/negotiator, vehicle owner, peddler and purchaser of the contraband. All were part of the same drug trafficking network and were working in multiple states and countries. Part of the consignment was meant for trafficking to Sri Lanka through the sea route and part to other Indian states. The source of the contraband is Moreh in Manipur (located at the Indo-Myanmar border). The network has been active for more than 7 years and is active in Sri Lanka and Indian states like Manipur and Tamil Nadu.
According to NCB-Chennai zonal director Amit Ghawate, there is a growing involvement of Sri Lankan drug traffickers in the trafficking of amphetamine-type stimulants. The seizure of 7.93 kg of methamphetamine in August 2021 by NCB-Chennai, and the current seizure of amphetamine involving Sri Lankan and Indian nationals, are evidence that the networks are widespread.
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