Ramanathapuram (Tamil Nadu), Nov 4 In a major crackdown on cross-border narcotics smuggling, police seized 19.8 kg of hashish intended for Sri Lanka and arrested a key accused near Pasipattinam beach in this district, officials said on Wednesday.
Acting on specific intelligence regarding smuggling activities, a police patrol team led by Inspector David Ravirajan and Sub-Inspector Ramesh secured the accused, identified as Mano at the beach with an initial two kg of the narcotics, officials said.
During subsequent interrogation, authorities recovered nearly 18 kg of hashish concealed at his residence in Thalirmarungur, falling under the Thondi police station limits.
A senior police official told reporters that hashish is a highly concentrated cannabis resin. While 20 kg of regular ganja constitutes a commercial quantity under law, just one kg of hashish meets the commercial quantity threshold, making this a significant bust, he added.
As per the Central Government’s Narcotics Control Bureau rate chart, the seized hashish is valued at Rs 2.5 lakh per kg in India, but the price multiplies up to three times in Sri Lanka, fetching nearly Rs 10 lakh per kg.
The police official said a wider network is involved and further arrests will be made soon.
The accused, Mano, was already wanted by the police in connection with a previous case involving 15 kg of ganja registered at the Thondi police station.
In addition to this major seizure, Ramanathapuram district police registered six other cases in the recent past during the intensive drive across various station limits, arresting five individuals and seizing an additional eight to nine kg of contraband.
The official also said that police have initiated legal procedures to attach movable and immovable properties, including land and houses, purchased through illegal drug smuggling by the accused and their relatives.
(PTI News)
