Tamil Nadu Police Amplifies Efforts Against Drug Trafficking

Chennai, Feb 20 (NationPress) The Tamil Nadu Police have escalated their initiatives against the trafficking and consumption of the extremely addictive drug methamphetamine, initiating operations across the state to mitigate its proliferation.

This enforcement campaign comes on the heels of numerous arrests made in both urban and rural settings, where suspects were apprehended for trying to sell the drug, including to school students.

In a decisive response, Director General of Police (DGP) Sankar Jiwal has instructed all district police superintendents to establish and personally oversee specialized squads aimed at dismantling drug networks.

As part of these strategies, law enforcement agencies are diligently monitoring gyms and health clubs, where the use of methamphetamine has reportedly raised concerns.

Recent investigations disclosed that several gym attendees were acquiring the drug to alleviate muscle pain resulting from strenuous workouts.

Tamil Nadu has established itself as a prominent transit point for international drug syndicates that smuggle methamphetamine and its precursor, pseudoephedrine, to nations like Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Australia, where there is significant demand.

In the year 2024 alone, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) confiscated methamphetamine valued at nearly Rs 380 crore.

Authorities suspect that the drugs originated from Myanmar and were headed to Sri Lanka.

Significant arrests were made in November 2024, when Chennai police detained Nigerian national Philip, who is believed to be the brains behind a major smuggling operation.

Philip is accused of orchestrating the importation of methamphetamine from Nigeria via courier and air routes.

To date, the Arumbakkam police have arrested 12 individuals related to this 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's essential to recognize that methamphetamine smuggling is exceptionally lucrative, with prices ranging from Rs 50,000 to 1,00,000 per kg in Manipur, but skyrocketing to Rs 7 lakh in Chennai.

The drug's market value is even higher internationally, fetching several crores in Sri Lanka and Australia.

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

Once in Tamil Nadu, the drugs are concealed in vehicles and transported to coastal towns like Rameswaram, Thoothukudi, and Nagapattinam.

From these locations, local fishing vessels conduct mid-sea transfers to Sri Lanka across the porous maritime border.

Moreh, a town in Manipur near the India-Myanmar border, has been pinpointed as a critical transit hub due to its Tamil community.

Investigators have also discovered links between Moreh and Chennai's Red Hills area, underscoring the vast network of these drug operations.

There is evidence indicating that remnants of the now-disbanded Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) may still be engaged in covert activities.

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

Despite the official disbandment of the LTTE, authorities suspect that some former members, who are well-trained in maritime tactics, are involved in mid-sea drug smuggling from Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka and beyond.

Given Tamil Nadu's critical role as a transit point for international drug syndicates, state police and federal agencies are relentlessly enhancing their efforts to combat methamphetamine smuggling and prevent its infiltration into local communities.