Chennai, May 27:
Sleuths from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out searches at multiple locations in Chennai and Madurai on Tuesday as part of a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged international drug trafficking network. The syndicate is suspected to have smuggled narcotics from India to Sri Lanka through sea routes, according to sources.
The probe is based on two cases registered in 2024 by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) against a local man, John Britto, who remains absconding, along with his associates. Officials said the ED action is aimed at uncovering the financial trail and dismantling the network’s operations.
In the first case, DRI officials in Madurai seized 99 kilograms of hashish worth around ₹108 crore from a fishing boat in the Gulf of Mannar in March 2024. Investigations revealed that three individuals—Ramesh, Jansan, and Prathap—were attempting to smuggle the drugs to Sri Lanka on the instructions of Britto, who is believed to be hiding in a Gulf country.
In the second case, also in March 2024, DRI officials recovered 30 kilograms of methamphetamine valued at about ₹150 crore from a person identified as P Prakash at Madurai railway station. An additional 7 kilograms of the drug was later recovered from the Kodungaiyur dump yard in Chennai. Officials said Prakash’s family allegedly tried to dispose of a package stored at his residence by throwing it into a corporation garbage bin, which eventually reached the dump yard before being recovered by authorities.
The ED has identified John Britto as the alleged mastermind of the smuggling network and described him as a habitual offender. According to officials, Britto and his associates used local fishermen and boat operators to transport drugs across the sea to Sri Lanka.
The searches are part of efforts to trace the proceeds of crime, identify key operatives, and uncover the larger network involved in the cross-border drug trade. Further investigation is underway.