CHENNAI: The city police arrested three people, including a woman and her son, for alleged possession of around 2,400 painkiller tablets in Otteri.

The police said one of their accomplices managed to escape.

The arrested persons were identified as R Akash (26) of Narayanan Street in Otteri, his mother R Pushpa (42), and Raji (19) of Srinivasa Street in Perambur Barracks Road.

The Secretariat Colony police had received a tip-off about movement of narcotic substances at a playground in Otteri on Wednesday night and intercepted four suspects. While three of them were apprehended, their accomplice managed to flee. A search of their bag revealed the tablets. Probe revealed that the group had sourced the tablets from Mumbai.

Police said Akash has around nine criminal cases against him, including an attempt to murder and robbery, while Raji has four cases, including two under the NDPS Act. The trio were produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody. The police are searching for the absconding suspect.

Two days ago, the Elephant Gate police had arrested a 42-year-old man for possession of 720 drug tablets. The police said that he procured the tablets from Madurai and sold them in the city.