MADURAI: The police have arrested three more persons in connection with the seizure of 1.5 kg of methamphetamine, worth Rs 2 crore, in Ramanathapuram, taking the total number of arrests in the case to 12.
The three arrested have been identified as Prabhakaran alias Ashraf (36) of Katpadi in Vellore, Shahinsha (30) of Tondiarpet in Chennai, and Mohammed Zakir alias Ummakka (56) of Ilayangudi in Sivaganga. A special police team arrested them on August 2 and 3, and they were remanded in judicial custody.
According to police sources, Ashraf allegedly played a key role in providing technical expertise to other members of the syndicate who were involved in processing and refining methamphetamine through the mixing of chemical ingredients in the required proportions at a clandestine laboratory in Ilayangudi.
Officials said the interrogation of Shahinsha and Mohammed Zakir revealed that, apart from supplying the drug in Tamil Nadu, the network allegedly extended to Kerala, some northern States, and Sri Lanka.
The police said the syndicate functioned as a well-organised network, with members assigned specific roles, including procuring raw materials; manufacturing, processing, and distributing the drug; collecting sale proceeds; and handling financial transactions. The investigation is under way to identify and apprehend other members of the network.
Earlier, the police had arrested nine persons and seized 1.5 kg of methamphetamine worth Rs 2 crore, besides chemicals and equipment allegedly used to manufacture the drug at a laboratory operating from a lathe workshop in Ilayangudi in Sivaganga.