NCB busts meth smuggling syndicate, arrests eight

CHENNAI: A week after the arrest of four people with 4.8 kg methamphetamine by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Chennai zone, four others including the financier handling the hawala transactions were nabbed in a joint operation of NCB sleuths of Chennai, Bengaluru and Imphal zones.

On December 21, NCB's Chennai team secured four people in the city and seized 4.8 kg methamphetamine. Since interrogation revealed that the drug was sourced from Manipur, an interzonal team was formed comprising officers from Chennai, Bengaluru and Imphal under NCB's Chennai zone director P Aravindhan.

The team camped in Moreh for three days, intercepted a car in Imphal on December 28 and seized 11 kg methamphetamine. With their confession, the team arrested a man, who is said to be the financier of syndicate handling transactions. Rs 10 lakh was seized from him.

The suspects arrested in Chennai were identified as Chinthamani, Veera Selvam alias Selvam, Saravanan and Joseph Justine Paul. Those arrested in Imphal were Kalaimani, ⁠Reena, Roshan Kumar and Ravi.

NCB sleuths have swiftly blocked two bank accounts maintained by the accused to handle the drug money. The accounts had Rs 78.66 lakh in total, said NCB officials.

NCB Chennai director P Aravindhan said the syndicate was smuggling methamphetamine to Sri Lanka from Myanmar via Imphal, Guwahati and Chennai. All eight were remanded in judicial custody. A car used by the accused in Imphal was also seized.