Chennai
Searches conducted by India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with a drugs& arms smuggling case, has led to the recovery and seizure of gadgets and incriminating documents. The premier agency responsible for investigating terror-related crimes in India had conducted searches across 22 premises said to be linked to a Sri Lankan drug mafia, across the Southern Indian State of Tamil Nadu.
Statement from NIA points to serious conspiracy by #Srilankan drug mafia in connection with a #Pakistani drug & arms supplier
The objective of these nefarious activities is said to be the revival of the #LTTE
Searches carried out at 22 locations in #TamilNadu #india #NIA pic.twitter.com/VRkeynHeQg
â Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) July 20, 2022
Tamil Nadu's capital city Chennai and other districts such as Thiruppur, Chengalpattu and Thiruchirapally were the locations that witnessed searches by the sleuths. According to the NIA, this is said to be in connection with illegal activities of the Sri Lankan drug mafia being operated by C.Gunashekharan and Pushparajah, in association with Haji Salim, a Pakistan-based drugs and arms supplier.
"These drugs and arms traffickers have been operating in India and Sri Lanka and working for the revival of LTTE and to further its violent activities", said the agency. The searches are based on a suo motu case that NIA registered in recent weeks. The case was filed under sections that covered serious offences that fall under criminal conspiracy, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act etc.
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The case is said to be connected to the seizure of Ak-47 rifles and heroin from a Sri Lankan boat off the Kerala coast, in 2021.