CHENNAI: As many as eight persons were arrested in separate incidents by the city police for alleged possession of methamphetamine.

In Triplicane, acting on a tip-off, the Anti-Narcotics Intelligence Unit (ANIU) coordinated with local police and raided a lodge on Owlia Sahib Street on Friday. Seven people, including the lodge owner, were arrested. During the search, police seized five grams of methamphetamine, seven grams of OG ganja and one kg of ganja.

Those arrested were identified as Mohammed Abbas (31), Abdul Kalam (20) and Shakeel Ahmed (22) of Mannadi; Syed Naveed (28) of Anna Salai; Sikkandar (42) of Triplicane; Mahesh (31) of Chennai; and Thahir Daiga (43) of Ramanathapuram. Police said Sikkandar was the lodge owner, while the others were employed in private firms. All were remanded in judicial custody.

In another case in Choolaimedu, police arrested a 19-year-old youth, Siddarth, for his alleged links with methamphetamine peddlers. Six of his associates had been arrested earlier this month.