Operation Thunderstrike: 7.6 kg meth seized, 11 arrested in Karaikal

KARAIKAL: Karaikal police struck a blow to the drug menace through the ongoing drive “Operation Thunderstrike” and foiled a bid to smuggle contraband items to Sri Lanka. Eleven suspects, including a foreign national, have been arrested since September 5.

A total of 7.605 kg of methamphetamine worth approximately `6.08 crore and 12.14 kg of ganja were seized during the operations. All the suspects have been booked under the NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985) cases.

In the first case, police received a tip-off about suspect Nijanthan (28) of Karaikalmedu and secured him on September 5 in a well-coordinated plan. Police seized 1.438 kg of methamphetamine, a synthetic narcotic substance, from him. Subsequently, he was arrested under the NDPS Act. Interrogation with Nijanthan led the police to his brother-in-law, Rajesh (30) of Tharangambadi in Mayilduthurai, and a common friend, Bakiaraj (32) of Karaikalmedu.

A police team led by Inspectors Marie Christian Paul and P. Arivuselvan arrested Rajesh on September 7 and seized 6.137 kg of methamphetamine. Bakiaraj was arrested on September 10, and 30 grams of methamphetamine was seized. Police said Rajesh and Nijanthan planned to sell the consignment through Bakiaraj, who allegedly has a history of smuggling cases in Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu.

Police said Nijanthan handed over some quantity to Bakiaraj to smuggle to Sri Lanka and retained some to be sold in Karaikal. On perusing further leads, police arrested Bakiaraj’s associate Alex Robert Jeramy (32) of Sri Lanka on September 13. In total, police seized 7.605 kg of methamphetamine, three mobile phones and three motorcycles from them.

In another surveillance operation on September 5, a team led by Circle Inspector K. Lenin Barathi intercepted four persons near Keezhavanjore bus stop and seized 10.84 kg of ganja worth roughly Rs 5 lakh. The accused were Sadaiyan of Athoor, Salem, Pollam Appala Narsha; Veerasai Santhosh Kiran; and Devi Budi, all from Andhra Pradesh.

They were booked at T.R. Pattinam Police Station. Investigation revealed that they were transporting the ganja to Bakiaraj, also involved in the methamphetamine case.

In the third operation at Kottucherry on September 8, Inspector Ramu and his team found Mahendiran Manthangi of Ammankovilpath, Narmugan and one minor of Karaikalmedu in possession of 1.3 kg of ganja, worth roughly Rs 65,000, packed in 248 small packets meant for sale in Karaikal.

An NDPS case was registered at Kottucherry Police Station. Senior Superintendent of Police Vinay Kumar Gadge said the operation involved the Anti-Narcotics Task Force and the Cyber Cell, and was conducted by six teams involving 25 police personnel over around 30 days.