CHENNAI: The Anti-Narcotics Intelligence Unit (ANIU) apprehended a trio from Assam near Pattinapakkam on Thursday for alleged possession of heroin. The trio were handed over to the Foreshore Estate Police, who arrested them and seized 17.5 grams of heroin from them.

The probe revealed that the arrested persons sourced the heroin from Assam and peddled it in the city, mainly targeting foreign tourists.

On Thursday, the ANIU team got a tip-off and kept vigil in Srinivasapuram near the Adyar River estuary. The trio who were loitering suspiciously in the area were detained for questioning, after which police found them to be in possession of drugs. Subsequently, their houses were checked, and police seized 17.5 grams of heroin from them.

The arrested persons were identified as Ejad Ali (27), Ajeez (26) and Imran Ali (27) - all hailing from Assam. The investigation revealed that the trio have been working in the city for the last two years as security guards and they sourced the heroin from their home state and sold it to their customers here, mainly foreign tourists.

All three of them were produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.