TN Police intensifies crackdown on drug smuggling and abuse

Chennai, Feb 20 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Police have intensified their crackdown on the trafficking and use of the highly addictive drug methamphetamine, launching statewide operations to curb its spread.

The enforcement drive follows a series of arrests in both urban and rural areas, where individuals were caught attempting to sell the drug, including to school students.

In response, Director General of Police (DGP) Sankar Jiwal has directed all district police superintendents to form and personally oversee special squads to target drug networks.

As part of their efforts, law enforcement is closely monitoring gyms and health clubs, where methamphetamine use has reportedly become a concern.

Recent arrests revealed that several gym users were obtaining the drug to manage muscle pain caused by intense workouts.

Tamil Nadu has emerged as a major transit hub for international drug syndicates smuggling methamphetamine and its precursor, pseudoephedrine, to countries such as Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Australia, where demand is high.

In 2024 alone, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized methamphetamine worth nearly Rs 380 crore.

Authorities believe the drugs were sourced from Myanmar and were en route to Sri Lanka.

Major arrests and seizures in November 2024, Chennai police arrested Nigerian national Philip, suspected to be the mastermind behind a major smuggling cartel.

Philip allegedly facilitated the import of methamphetamine from Nigeria via courier and air routes.

So far, Arumbakkam police have arrested 12 individuals in connection with the case, including: Philip (Nigerian national, alleged ringleader), Jeevan (39), Masthan (45), Jagadeesan (25), Satishkumar (33), Viswanathan (47), Deepakraj (24), Siddharth (25), Arul Kumar (28), Antony Raj (29) and Santhosh (27).

It is to be noted that methamphetamine smuggling is highly lucrative, with prices ranging from Rs 50,000 to 1,00,000 per kg in Manipur, but soaring to Rs 7 lakh in Chennai.

The drug is even more expensive in international markets, reaching several crores in Sri Lanka and Australia.

Authorities have traced the smuggling route from Myanmar to Manipur, where it is transported to Tamil Nadu via human carriers on trains.

Once in Tamil Nadu, drugs are hidden in vehicles and transported to coastal towns such as Rameswaram, Thoothukudi, and Nagapattinam.

From there, local fishing boats carry out mid-sea transfers to Sri Lanka across the porous maritime border.

Moreh, a town in Manipur near the India-Myanmar border, has been identified as a key transit point due to its Tamil community.

Investigators have also uncovered connections between Moreh and Chennai’s Red Hills area, highlighting the extensive reach of these drug networks.

There is evidence suggesting that remnants of the now-defunct Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) may still be involved in clandestine operations.

In October 2021, former LTTE operative Satkunam alias Sabesan was arrested by the National Investigation Agency for his role in smuggling arms and drugs from Pakistan to Sri Lanka.

Despite LTTE’s official disbandment, authorities suspect that some of its former members — highly trained in maritime operations — are engaged in mid-sea smuggling of narcotics from Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka and beyond.

With Tamil Nadu being a critical transit point for international drug syndicates, state police, and federal agencies continue to intensify their efforts to curb methamphetamine smuggling and prevent its infiltration into local communities.

–IANS

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