The National Investigation Agency (NIA) of India has busted an Indo-Sri Lankan illegal drugs and arms trade racket, which works to revive the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
In a massive crackdown, NIA conducted raids at multiple places belonging to suspects in Chennai and arrested one person, the India Abroad News Service (IANS) and other India media reported yesterday.
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 the LTTE through the drugs and arms trade.
The NIA also seized a huge cache of cash, gold bars, digital devices, drugs, and documents, along with other incriminating material during the raid. The agency launched investigations into the racket in July 2022. As of now, the NIA has made 14 arrests including the latest arrest, which was made on Thursday. In December last year, 13 people were arrested during raids in 21 locations across Tamil Nadu (TN).
Investigations into the case have revealed that the proceeds of the drugs and arms trade in Sri Lanka were received in India through hawala agents, including 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. 6.8 million in Indian currency, 1,000 Singapore Dollars, nine gold biscuits (totalling 300 grams) from the shop of Shahid Ali. The NIA has also recovered Rs.1.2 million in Indian currency from Hotel Orange Palace in Chennai. The TN police have intensified patrols along the coast to nab subversives and smugglers who travel illegally between the two countries.