The Greater Chennai Police have intensified their crackdown on drug syndicates, leading to the arrest of four individuals involved in narcotic trafficking. In two separate cases, three men from Assam were caught with heroin and morphine, while another individual involved in methamphetamine peddling was apprehended, as authorities continue to tackle the growing drug crisis in Tamil Nadu.
In the first case, Egmore police arrested three suspects from Assam — Habibur Rahman (32), Dildar Hussain (22), and Reikibul Islam (20), all from Nagaon district. Acting on a tip-off, officers intercepted the trio near Egmore railway station and recovered three grams of heroin, eight grams of morphine, and two kilograms of gutka from their bags. The three were produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.
In a second operation, Chetpet police arrested 25-year-old R. Manikandan of Korattur, who had been absconding in connection with a methamphetamine peddling case. Police seized three grams of methamphetamine from him. This arrest is part of an earlier operation that led to the arrest of four other peddlers in February, including the main accused, S. Balahari (26).
The Tamil Nadu Police have stepped up their efforts to combat methamphetamine trafficking, with statewide operations aimed at curbing the spread of this highly addictive drug. Authorities have arrested numerous individuals, including some attempting to sell methamphetamine to school students.
Director General of Police (DGP) Sankar Jiwal has ordered district police superintendents to form special squads and personally oversee the dismantling of drug networks. As part of their strategy, police are closely monitoring gyms and health clubs, where methamphetamine use has become a rising concern, with some gym-goers acquiring the drug to manage muscle pain from intense workouts.
Tamil Nadu has become a crucial transit hub for international drug syndicates smuggling methamphetamine and its precursor, pseudoephedrine, to countries like Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Australia, where demand is high. In 2024 alone, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized methamphetamine worth approximately Rs 380 crore.
In November 2024, Chennai Police made a major breakthrough by arresting Nigerian national Philip, believed to be the mastermind behind a significant drug smuggling cartel. Philip allegedly coordinated the importation of methamphetamine from Nigeria through courier and air routes, with the Arumbakkam police having arrested 12 individuals connected to this case.
Methamphetamine smuggling is a highly lucrative business. While the drug is priced between Rs 50,000 and Rs 1,00,000 per kilogram in Manipur, its price soars to Rs 7 lakh per kilogram in Chennai. In international markets, especially in Sri Lanka and Australia, methamphetamine can fetch several crores per kilogram.
According to police, the drug is first transported from Myanmar to Manipur, and human carriers smuggle it via train into Tamil Nadu. Once in Tamil Nadu, the drugs are concealed in vehicles and transported to coastal towns such as Rameswaram, Thoothukudi, and Nagapattinam.
With ongoing operations and heightened surveillance, law enforcement agencies continue their relentless efforts to dismantle these drug syndicates and curb the growing methamphetamine crisis in Tamil Nadu.