In a significant breakthrough in a transnational drug trafficking case, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Chennai unit, arrested Siluvairaj, a key figure in a drug syndicate operating between India and Sri Lanka. He was taken into custody in Chennai on Monday, after evading authorities for nearly three years.
The case dates back to November 2022, when NCB officers, acting on intelligence, intercepted a Tata Sumo Victa on the Ramanathapuram–Tuticorin State Highway. The vehicle was found to be carrying 4.440 kg of hashish oil, hidden in a concealed compartment.
Two individuals from Tuticorin were arrested on the spot, and their interrogation led the NCB to identify Siluvairaj, a resident of Ramanathapuram, as the key handler coordinating the smuggling operation. The contraband was allegedly intended for trafficking to Sri Lanka via the southern Tamil Nadu coast.
Following the arrests, Siluvairaj fled to Thailand and Sri Lanka, managing to stay off the radar until his recent capture in Chennai.
During the investigation, the NCB arrested four other individuals linked to the smuggling network. All are currently in judicial custody, and the case is being tried in the Principal District Judge Court (Special NDPS Court) in Madurai.
The agency considers Siluvairaj’s arrest a major blow to the syndicate. “This arrest exemplifies NCB’s commitment to busting drug syndicates by identifying all forward and backward linkages and bringing them to justice through relentless pursuit,” said the NCB in a statement.
The agency also urged citizens to support the mission of a drug-free India by reporting trafficking activities through the MANAS Helpline (1933), assuring complete confidentiality.
