New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets worth Rs 3.59 crore of four Indians allegedly involved in drugs and arms smuggling as part of a plan to ‘revive’ the banned Sri Lankan terror group LTTE.
The attached properties include six plots, 12 vehicles, cash and bank deposits belonging to Suresh Raj, Satkunam , Ramesh A and Soundararajan.
On 18 March, 2021, the Indian Coast Guard had intercepted one Sri Lankan fishing boat – ‘Ravihansi’ within the territorial waters of India. It was found that the boat was carrying huge quantity of contraband articles including 300 kilograms of heroin along with five assault rifles and one thousand 9 mm ammunitions.
Subsequently, the National Investigative Agency (NIA) took over the investigation and filed a chargesheet against Sri Lankan nationals and others.
ED initiated a money laundering investigation on the basis of an FIR registered by NIA. ED has alleged that the drugs and arms smuggled on the Sri Lankan boat ‘Ravihansi’ were meant for Indian nationals – Suresh, Satkunam and their associates and sale proceeds of the drugs would be used for purchasing the next consignment of drugs and also for revival of LTTE.
The ED said Suresh and Satkunam have been involved in a similar crime earlier with the active support of Ramesh and Soundararajan. Both were convicted earlier in a narcotics case and a criminal case.