CHENNAI: Police arrested two drug peddlers who allegedly engaged minors to distribute narcotic substances in and around Kannagi Nagar.

Based on a tip-off that ganja and narcotic tablets were being sold in the Puthupettai Canal area, a special team led by Inspector S Saravanan conducted a raid and arrested the accused, Sengottaiyan (30) and Karthi (24) - both residents of Kannagi Nagar.

Police seized 1.2 kg of ganja and 20 narcotic tablets. Probe revealed that the accused procured tablets from Mumbai and sold them to youths in resettlement neighbourhoods of Kannagi Nagar and Perumbakkam.

The accused have also recruited juveniles to distribute ganja and narcotic tablets. The minors were paid Rs 1,000 a day and also given a couple of painkiller tablets as a commission for selling the contraband.

Police also found that the accused procured ganja in bulk from suppliers in Chennai, repackaged it into small sachets and sold it in the locality through the network of minors.

The arrested persons were produced before a magistrate and remanded to judicial custody.