DRI Seizes 137 Kg of Crystal Meth in Tamil Nadu, Four Arrested

• DRI seizes 137 kg of suspected crystal meth
• Illicit market value estimated above ₹100 crore
• Four accused arrested and remanded to judicial custody
• Investigators suspect a sea route to Sri Lanka

GG News Bureau
Chennai, 18th Oct: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized 137 kg of suspected crystal methamphetamine worth more than ₹100 crore in the illicit market from a coastal village in Tamil Nadu’s Nagapattinam district, arresting four people for their alleged involvement in a drug trafficking network targeting Sri Lanka.

The intelligence-led operation was carried out on October 16 and 17, following inputs that a large consignment of narcotics had been stored at a coastal location for onward smuggling. Investigators suspect the drugs were to be transferred at sea before being taken to Sri Lanka.

During the search, DRI officers recovered six duffel bags containing 27 silver-foil packets of a white crystalline substance suspected to be high-purity methamphetamine. The consignment, weighing 137 kg gross, was seized under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.

In a parallel search at the premises of the suspected organiser, officers seized ₹10 lakh in cash, believed to be suspected proceeds of drug sales. Two four-wheelers and a two-wheeler allegedly used to transport the narcotics were also confiscated.

The investigation uncovered suspected links involving the organisation, transportation, storage and logistical arrangements for the coastal smuggling operation. Four accused have been arrested under the NDPS Act and remanded to judicial custody.

The seizure is among the major narcotics recoveries reported in Tamil Nadu’s coastal region in recent years. The agency said the operation disrupted the suspected trafficking network and prevented a substantial quantity of illegal drugs from entering circulation.