New Delhi: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized 137 kg of crystal methamphetamine, a banned synthetic drug, worth about Rs 100 crore from a coastal village in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu. In one of the biggest narcotic seizures in the coastal region in recent years, DRI officers conducted an intensive surveillance and enforcement operation during October 16-17, and uncovered a suspected coastal drug-trafficking network attempting to smuggle the narcotic substances to Sri Lanka.
The consignment was intended to be smuggled to Sri Lanka through mid-sea transfer. The value of the seized contraband in the illicit drug market is estimated to be in excess of Rs 100 crore, a finance ministry statement said.
The operation followed specific intelligence indicating that a large consignment of narcotic substances had been transported to a coastal location in Nagapattinam district for storage and onward smuggling to Sri Lanka.
A subsequent search led to the recovery of six duffle bags containing 27 silver-foil packets, with each weighing about 5 kg. The packets contained a white crystalline substance suspected to be methamphetamine of high purity.
In a simultaneous search at the premises of the suspected organiser, DRI officers seized Rs 10 lakh in cash reportedly linked to sale proceeds. Two four-wheelers and one two-wheeler allegedly used for transporting the narcotic substance were also seized.
Four persons have been arrested under the provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985, and remanded to judicial custody, the ministry said.
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