In a crackdown on Indo-Sri Lankan illegal drugs and arms trade racket, which allegedly working for the revival of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has conducted raids at multiple places belonging to suspects in Chennai and arrested a man.

The NIA also seized huge cache of cash, gold bars, digital devices drugs and documents, along with other incriminating material during the raid.

The agency initiated investigations into the racket in July 2022. As of now, the NIA has made fourteen arrests in the matter including the latest arrest, which was made on Thursday.

Earlier, in December 2022, 13 accused were arrested during raids in 21 locations across Tamil Nadu.

Investigations into the case have revealed that the proceeds of drugs and arms trade in Sri Lanka were received in India through hawala agents, including one Shahid Ali of Chennai. It was further found that the hawala transactions were done through hotels and businesses based in Mannadi, Chennai.

Thursday’s seizure included Rs 68 lakhs in Indian currency and 1,000 Singapore Dollars, nine gold biscuits (total 300 gram) from the shop of Shahid Ali. The NIA has also recovered Rs 12 lakhs in Indian currency from hotel Orange Palace in Chennai.

The suspect arrested following Thursday’s searches was identified as Ayyappan Nandhu. He has been found to be managing the drug trade on behalf of Muhammed Asmin, a Sri Lankan refugee and a drug trafficker who had conspired with other accused to revive LTTE through drugs and arms trade.

(The story has been published via a syndicated feed with a modified headline.)