NIA frames charges on drug ring raising funds to revive LTTE
The accused allegedly attempted to revive banned LTTE in India and Sri Lanka.
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CHENNAI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday filed a chargesheet in a designated court in Kochi, against 13 persons, including Lankan nationals, in the India-Sri Lanka illegal drugs and arms trade case.
The accused allegedly attempted to revive banned LTTE in India and Sri Lanka. Most of the suspects were drug peddlers arrested from Tiruchy special camp, caught during a NIA raid in December last year.
NIA during the probe also unearthed usage of Crypto currency transactions for the illegal activities. According to the chargesheet, the accused from Tamil Nadu had conspired with those connected in the Vizhinjam Arms case, for exploiting the illegal drugs trade in India and Sri Lanka for funding, amassing and stashing weapons for the revival of LTTE in India and Sri Lanka.
The drugs were being sourced from one Haji Salim, a resident of Pakistan. The accused had been using various foreign WhatsApp numbers to carry out the clandestine activity.
The accused were using the proceeds of the crime to live a lavish life. Besides, NIA also seized many SIM cards, various digital devices, documents relating to drug transactions, cash to the tune of Rs 80 lakh and nine gold bars during the course of the investigations.
The cash and gold were proceeds from the sale of narcotics and were being channelled through hawala networks between Chennai and Sri Lanka.
Of the 13 suspects three are Indians namely Selvakumar M, Vigneshwara Perumal alias Vicky and Iyyapan Nandhu. The remaining 10 are Sri Lankans, identified as C Gunasekaran Pookutti Kanna, Mohammad Asmin, Alahapperumaga Sunil Ghamini Fonseka, Stanly Kennady Fernando, Dhanukka Roshan, Nalin Chathuranga, Gamage Suranga Pradeep, Dileepan and Danarathnam Nilukshan. While Vicky and Nandhu were arrested in April this year, the others were arrested in December 2022.
