CHENNAI: A forest guard is among eight persons arrested by the Tamil Nadu Police's EB-CID (Enforcement Bureau-CID) for trying to sell Rs 6 crore worth cocaine in Chennai. The accused claimed that the cocaine parcels washed ashore and they were merely attempting to sell the contraband.

The Central Intelligence Unit (CIU) of EB-CID was acting on credible information and apprehended the five suspects and seized 1 kg of cocaine after a raid in St Thomas Mount area.

The arrested accused were natives of Keelakarai in Ramanathapuram district, police said. Based on the inputs from them, three more from Keelakarai were arrested by the NIB-CID and a Chennai Police team in Koyambedu and seized 1 kg of cocaine.

The main accused, Mahendran, works as a forest guard in Sayalgudi range, police said. Initial probe revealed that he obtained the contraband from his relative, Pandi.

Pandi told investigators that he found the parcel – 1 kg cocaine – along the shore while collecting plastic waste. Another 1 kg of cocaine, too, was found along the shore, according to the claims by another accused, Palaneeswaran.

The forest guard had approached another accused, Kasim to dispose the contraband for a lump sum amount in the city and co-ordinated with the other accused, Mohammad Mubarak, Edward Sam, Mohammad Idris and Kaja Mohaideen

According to Tamil Nadu police, the market value of the seized cocaine is estimated to be Rs 6 crore.

Further investigation to ascertain the source of the drug, involvement of any others and the nexus in the offence is underway.