CHENNAI: On the lookout for drug peddlers, the anti-narcotic intelligence unit (ANIU) of the city police stumbled upon a gang of four, who were carrying Rs 70 lakh unaccounted cash supposedly for a hawala transaction, gold and silver articles.

The arrested quartet from Andhra Pradesh allegedly threatened officials when the Korukkupet police were questioning them.

According to police sources, the ANIU had received a tip-off about the movement of narcotic substances in the Korukkupet police limits. Following this, a team was on vigil near the Vaidyanathan bridge, Tondiarpet, on Saturday.

The police team noted the quartet loitering suspiciously and rounded them up for questioning. However, the men resisted, and verbally abused, threatened, and tried to evade detention, after which police detained them and checked their bags. Inside, the police found cash bundles worth Rs 70 lakh wrapped in newspapers, 108 grams gold, and 1 kg silver articles.

During questioning, the men gave evasive replies about the source of the valuables, after which they were taken to the Korukkupret police station for further questioning.

Probe revealed that all four of them are from Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. They were identified as Amartharalu Venkata Sureshbabu (68), Ponnuru Venkata Kamal (35), Durgi Gopi Kishore (60), and Fasiyulla Khan (52).

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