National Investigation Agency (NIA) seized a huge cache of cash, gold bars, digital devices, drugs, and documents along with other incriminating material during the raids it conducted on Thursday at the Chennai residential and business premises of eight suspects in an Indo-Sri Lankan illegal drugs and arms trade racket which was aimed at the revival of the banned outfit Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
NIA issued a press release on Friday in which it said that investigations into the racket had been initiated back in July last year. A man was arrested on Thursday in this matter taking the count of the total arrested to 14 with 13 being arrested earlier in December only.
The press release said, "Investigations into the case have shown that the proceeds of drugs and arms trade in Sri Lanka were received in India through Hawala agents, including one Sahid Ali of Chennai. It was further found that the Hawala transactions to obtain the process of Drugs and Arms trade were done through hotels and businesses based in Mannadi, Chennai."
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In Thursday's raid, Rs 67 lakhs 1,000 Singapore Dollars, 9 gold biscuits weighing 300 grams, were seized from the shop of Shahid Ali. NIA also recovered Rs 12 lakhs from the Orange Palace hotel in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
The press release further stated, "The suspected arrest following yesterday's searches was identified as Ayyappan Nandhu. He has been found to be managing the drug trade on behalf of Muhammed Asmin, a Sri Lankan refugee and a drug trafficker who had conspired with other accused to revive LTTE through drugs and arms trade.
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