Chennai, Aug 27:
In a major crackdown on drug trafficking and sale, Chennai police conducted raids at various locations across the city and arrested 13 people, seizing around 45 kg of ganja, over 1,000 narcotic tablets, methamphetamine and other contraband.
In one of the major seizures, police intercepted a consignment of ganja at a private travels office in Nesapakkam near Koyambedu. A man who arrived with eight parcels for shipment to Ernakulam in Kerala was detained after the travel agency staff grew suspicious and alerted the police.
A search of the parcels revealed 24 kg of ganja. The accused was identified as Kamrul Taktar, 34, from West Bengal. Police said he had allegedly procured the ganja from Odisha and brought it to Chennai before attempting to send it to Kerala through the private parcel service. He was arrested and remanded in judicial custody.
In another operation near Korukkupet railway station, a special team of the Esplanade police seized 3 kg of ganja and arrested Kuldeep Munda, 22, from Jharkhand, who was allegedly attempting to transport the contraband to Kerala by train.
Meanwhile, a special team from the Pulianthope police district travelled to Andhra Pradesh and arrested Tala Upendra, 25, described as a key accused in a ganja trafficking case. Police seized 18 kg of ganja from him and brought him to Chennai for further investigation. He was later remanded in Puzhal prison.
In Koyambedu, police arrested Gokul Raj, 23, and Narayanamoorthy, 20, for allegedly selling narcotic tablets behind the Koyambedu market. Police seized around 1,100 narcotic tablets and, based on information provided by the duo, also arrested Dharani, 28, of Kodungaiyur.
In a separate case, North Beach police arrested seven persons in Mannadi for allegedly selling methamphetamine and narcotic stamps. The accused were identified as Junaith, Subair, Irfan, Sulaiman, Sabudeen, Abubacker Siddique and Yasar Arafath.
Police seized 2 grams of methamphetamine, 14 narcotic stamps and two motorcycles from them.
All the accused were produced before courts and remanded in judicial custody. The coordinated operations, carried out across Chennai in a single day, led to the seizure of large quantities of ganja and other narcotic substances, police said.