The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Chennai Zone, on Tuesday busted a major amphetamine trafficking syndicate on the city outskirts and arrested six persons, including three Sri Lankan nationals. The team seized 11 kg of the drug from them.
On the basis of specific intelligence, the officers of NCB-Chennai intercepted a goods carrier early Tuesday on Chennai-Gummidipoondi national highway and detained its driver. They recovered 11 packets of the drug, approximately weighing 11 kg., while searching the vehicle. Those packets were very well concealed in a tarpaulin which was difficult to detect. It was found along with a big machine in the truck, the NCB said.
Following the seizure, multiple teams were deployed simultaneously which resulted in the apprehension of five more persons from different locations. Three of them are Sri Lankan nationals and the rest, Indians.
Amit Ghawate, zonal director of NCB, Chennai, said the arrested persons 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 different States and countries. This consignment was meant for trafficking to Sri Lanka through the sea route and other States of India.
The source of the contraband was from Moreh in Manipur which is located at the Indo-Myanmar border. The network had been operating for more than seven years.. “They have a solid foothold in Sri Lanka and States of Manipur and Tamil Nadu. It is pertinent to note there has been a growing trend of Sri Lankans getting involved in the trafficking of amphetamine type stimulants,” said the NCB director.
Earlier, a consignment of 7.93 kg of methamphetamine was seized in August 2021 by NCB, Chennai.
