Indian authorities have seized 137 kg of crystal methamphetamine intended to be smuggled into Sri Lanka through a maritime route, following a major anti-narcotics operation in Tamil Nadu.
According to India’s Ministry of Finance, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) intercepted the consignment in a coastal village in Nagapattinam district during an intelligence-led operation conducted on October 16 and 17.
Investigations revealed that the narcotics were intended to be smuggled to Sri Lanka through a mid-sea transfer, with the estimated value of the seized drugs exceeding Indian Rs. 100 crore in the illegal drug market.
The operation was launched following specific intelligence that a large consignment of narcotics had been transported to a coastal location in Nagapattinam for storage and subsequent smuggling to Sri Lanka.
During the search, DRI officers recovered six duffel bags containing 27 silver-foil packets, each weighing approximately 5 kg. The packets contained a white crystalline substance suspected to be high-purity methamphetamine.
Meanwhile, a simultaneous search at the premises of the suspected organiser resulted in the seizure of Indian Rs. 10 lakh in cash, believed to be proceeds from drug sales.
Authorities also seized two four-wheel vehicles and a motorcycle suspected of being used to transport the narcotics.
Four individuals linked to the suspected drug trafficking network were arrested under India’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and remanded to judicial custody.
According to the Indian Ministry of Finance, the operation uncovered a network allegedly involved in organising the coastal smuggling, transportation, storage and logistics of the narcotics consignment.
The Ministry stated that the seizure was among the largest narcotics recoveries in Tamil Nadu’s coastal region in recent years and highlighted ongoing efforts to prevent India’s coastline from being used for international drug trafficking. (Newswire)
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