Two kilograms of cocaine worth Rs 6 crore were seized in Chennai, leading to the arrest of eight individuals linked to a drug trafficking network. The Central Intelligence Unit of the Enforcement Bureau Police acted on credible input, conducting the operation, spanning two key locations in the city, which led to the seizure of a car and five mobile phones.
The cops got their first breakthrough in St. Thomas Mount area, where five suspects, all natives of Keelakarai in Ramanathapuram district, were caught with one kg of cocaine. During interrogation, they reportedly revealed their links with three additional accomplices operating from Chennai's Koyambedu area.
Investigators identified the prime accused as Mahendran, a forest guard posted in Sayalgudi, who allegedly received one kg of the drug from a waste collector named Pandi. According to officials, Pandi claimed to have found the cocaine along the Ramanathapuram seashore during a routine waste collection. Another accused, Palaneeswaran, said he found one kg of cocaine washed ashore in the same manner.
Authorities revealed that an accused, Kasim, masterminded the plan to sell the drugs in Chennai for a "lump sum amount," aided by co-conspirators - Mohamed Mubarak, Edward Sam, Mohamad Idris, and Kaja Mohaideen.
While the origins of cocaine remain unclear, an investigation is underway to trace the source and uncover potential international or domestic links.
