The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Increase in narcotics trade worries authorities

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 03, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Increase in narcotics trade worries authorities

K.T. Sangameswaran

Smugglers adopting innovative methods

CHENNAI: The seizure of a Sri Lankan boat carrying seven kg brown sugar off the Tiruchendur coast recently has shocked anti-narcotic drug authorities.

The three arrested crewmen were from Sri Lanka. That the islanders came in their boat up to the Tamil Nadu coast to pick up the contraband is a cause of concern, Shankar Jiwal, south zonal Director, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), has said.

Contraband seizure

He told The Hindu that the seizure was made on February 20, in a joint operation by bureau officials and the Coast Guard. The crew told the investigators that they had come to the coast a few times in the past.

The Sri Lankans, who know only Sinhala, came to Manappadu near Tiruchendur, flashed torch lights to signal their arrival and waited for the drugs to be handed over.

After collecting the contraband, they were speeding back to Sri Lanka when the boat was intercepted.

Drugs hidden in fishing nets

The drugs were packed in a plastic sack and kept in a large wooden box along with fishing nets. The sack containing the inscription, Rice World Food Programme WEP produce of Pakistan was also seized, Mr. Jiwal said. Investigations are continuing.

The Director said smugglers were adopting innovative methods to hoodwink enforcement authorities. About 17 kg of heroin in cloth packets concealed in two vehicle batteries was seized at Thamaraikulam in Ramanathapuram district last month. Three persons, including the president of a village panchayat, were arrested.

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