TN coastal police on alert following tip-off over smuggling

Chennai, April 8 The Tamil Nadu coastal police is on high alert after receiving a a tip-off from central agencies regarding smuggling of narcotics near the Ramanathapuram coast, sources said.

The police sources told that there has been an alert on the possibility of smuggling of narcotic substances into the state.

According to inputs, the Pakistan-based Haji Ali Network, which has been involved in several smuggling activities in the Arabian Sea, is trying to smuggle narcotic substances, including psychotropic drugs, into Tamil Nadu.

Some former activists of the LTTE is behind this move, as per reports received by the agencies.

In August 2021, a huge cache of drugs and five AK-47 assault rifles and ammunition were seized in the Arabian Sea near the Kanniyakumari coast.

A highly-ranked former intelligence operative of the LTTE, Santukam alias Sabesan, was arrested in October 2021 for his involvement.

After the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the Haji Ali Network has been active in the sea and has been, according to central agencies, involved in smuggling drugs and other nefarious substances.

Former LTTE operatives have been trying to regroup themselves and Santukam, during his interrogation, admitted that the smuggling was done to raise funds for the regrouping of the terror network in Sri Lanka.

Amid the ongoing economic crisis in Sri Lanja, the former LTTE operatives are trying to regroup and raise maximum funds with smuggling in drugs to Tamil Nadu for onward trafficking to Western nations.

The police sources told that they are on a strict vigil in the sea for the next few days owing to this threat.

aal/ksk/