NIA files chargesheet against 13 in illegal drugs, arms trade case linked to revival of LTTE

New Delhi [India], June 17 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a chargesheet against 13 persons, including Lankans, in the India-Sri Lanka illegal drugs and arms trade case which was linked to attempts to revive the LTTE in India and its southern neighbour, NIA informed though an official release.

The accused men had conspired with the accused in the Vizhinjam Arms case, for exploiting the illegal drugs trade in India and Sri Lanka for funding, amassing and stashing weapons for the revival of LTTE in India and Sri Lanka, the NIA said, adding that the drugs were being sourced from one Haji Salim, who is suspected to be residing in Pakistan.

The accused persons had been using various foreign WhatsApp numbers to carry out the clandestine trade, as per the official release.

Investigations in the case had exposed their conspiracy to fund the revival of LTTE through drug trade. They were arrested at the Trichy Special Camp.

NIA said their investigations revealed further that the accused were using the proceeds of crime to lead a lavish life. Several mobile phones with pre-activated Indian SIM cards were seized from them, the central agency informed, adding that it also seized various digital devices, documents relating to drug transactions, cash to the tune of Rs 80 lakh and 9 gold bars during the course of its investigations.

This cash and gold were the proceeds from the sale of narcotics and were being channeled through hawala networks between Chennai and Sri Lanka, the NIA stated, adding that several transactions using Crypto platforms also came to the fore during the probe.

Earlier, on July 8, the NIA had filed the case suo motu, nabbing 13 persons. The accused were charge-sheeted on Friday under various sections of the IPC, UA(P) Act 1967, and NDPS Act. They included three Indians, identified as Selvakumar. M, Vigneshwara Perumal alias Vicky and lyyapan Nandhu alias Ayyappan Nandhu.

The remaining 10 are Sri Lankans identified as C Gunasekaran alias Guna, Pushparajah alias Pookutti Kanna, Mohammad Asmin, Alahapperumaga Sunil Ghamini Fonseka, Stanly Kennady Fernando, Dhanukka Roshan, Ladiya alias Nalin Chathuranga, Vella Suranga alias Gamage Suranga Pradeep, Thilipan alias Dileepan and Danarathnam Nilukshan.

While Vicky and Nandhu were arrested in April this year, the others were arrested in December 2022, the release added.