ED carries out searches at five locations in Tamil Nadu regarding drug-smuggling international syndicate

New Delhi ( Pallavi Srivastava) : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today carried out search operations at five locations across Chennai and Madurai in connection with a major drug smuggling syndicate with international links. The investigation was conducted under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), following money laundering investigations initiated on the basis of two criminal complaints filed by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) against accused John Britto and others.

The complaints were registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act) and the Customs Act. According to ED, the syndicate is involved in the smuggling of large quantities of narcotic substances, including 99 kilograms of hashish valued at approximately 108 crore rupees and over 37 kilograms of methamphetamine, commonly known as ICE, estimated at 150 crore rupees. The drugs were allegedly being smuggled to Sri Lanka through sea routes.