TIRUCHY: In a major bust, the Nagapattinam Q-Branch personnel on Friday seized 75 kg of hashish worth Rs 180 crore in the international market that was about to be smuggled to Sri Lanka and arrested two people from West Bengal.

On a tip-off that a huge quantity of drugs was being smuggled from West Bengal to Sri Lanka via Velankanni, a Q-Branch team headed by inspector Ramachandra Boopathi conducted a surprise raid at a hotel at Pookkara Street in Velankanni. They secured two people from Darjeeling, identified as Dil Kumar Dhaba Mangar and Gavas.

During detailed interrogation, the duo allegedly confessed that they smuggled a huge quantity of hashish hidden in some chambers of a car. After driving all the way from West Bengal, they took a break at Velankanni. The plan was to head to Rameswaram from where the consignment was to be transported to Sri Lanka.

The police then searched their car and found 92 packets of hashish weighing 75 kg. According to Q-Branch officers, the drug is worth Rs 3.75 crore in the Indian market, but its value would balloon to Rs 180 crore in the international market. The seized contraband was handed over to the Prohibition and Enforcement Wing police. Further investigations are on.