NCB arrests 2 Sri Lankans in Chennai in int’l drugs racket case

New Delhi, Jan 22 : The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has arrested two Sri Lankan Tamils — who are key operatives in an international drugs racket — from Chennai in Tamil Nadu, a senior officer said on Friday.
On the basis of intelligence shared with the Sri Lankan authorities, they had seized 100 kg heroin on November 27 last year from the island nation, NCB Deputy Director KPS Malhotra told IANS. Sources said that the contraband was valued at Rs 1,000 crore.
The heroin smuggling syndicate was based out of Pakistan and Sri Lanka and its tentacles spread as far as Afghanistan, Iran, Maldives, and Australia.
Malhotra said that arrested accused MMM Nawas and Mohamed Afnas were living in Chennai by concealing their identities but the agency managed to zero in on them.
The action comes as a follow-up to the seizure of a Sri Lankan fishing vessel ‘Shenaya Duwa’ by NCB and Indian Coast Guard in Indian territorial waters near Tuticorin Port on November 26, 2020, along with 95.87 kg heroin and 18.32 kg methamphetamine.
The NCB had also seized five pistols and magazines from the vessel’s crew. “Six Sri Lankans were arrested, who are now in judicial custody,” the NCB officer said.