The seized heroin would have fetched the fisherman approximately Rs. 31.5 lakh. (Representational)
21 kilograms of heroin have been confiscated in Tamil Nadu's city of Tuticorin, with six fishermen arrested in connection with the case, said the Tuticorin police today.
"It began with a tip off my special party received that resulted in the seizure of 100 grams of heroin and the arrest of three men," the Superintendent of Police Mr S Jeyakumar told NDTV regarding the massive seizure.
As the police conducted further investigation, they were led to a fishing hamlet in Theruvaikulam, located around 25 km from Tuticorin city. There, they found and seized 20 packets of heroin, each weighing one kg, from a fisherman named Anthony Muthu.
The fishermen were allegedly unaware the drug they sold was heroin, said investigators. Each packet was sold in the black market for Rs 1.5 lakh, with Anthony taking a cut of Rs 40,000 per packet, while the rest of the loot was distributed between the middlemen and sellers.
The 21 kg of seized heroin would have fetched the fisherman approximately Rs. 31.5 lakh in total, though the valuation of that quantity of heroin is exponentially higher in the international market.
Detailing how Anthony came upon the drugs, Mr Jeyakumar explained, "He tells us he secured a box floating in the sea a year ago while fishing in waters around Mini Coy Island, Lakshadweep."
After a forensic investigation by both the police and the Narcotics Control Bureau, Tuticorin police have confirmed that the seized substance is indeed heroin.
"We are now investigating their claim and if there is any mafia or network behind this," added Mr Jeyakumar.
Heroin is becoming a substance seized with increasing frequency by Indian authorities. Just earlier this week, on Tuesday, a Ugandan woman was caught by Delhi Airport customs officials while attempting to smuggle two kg of heroin worth Rs 14 crore into the country. Two days prior, over two kg of Rs 15 crore worth heroin were seized from a Kenyan woman at Jaipur airport.
One of the most notable heroin seizures this year was September's astonishing drug haul at Gujarat's Mundra Port, run by the Adani Group. In the raid, 3,000 kg of heroin were recovered from two containers, valued at a whopping total of Rs. 20,000 crore. The incident has triggered a series of nationwide drug raids since.