2 drug peddlers held with 951 kg of Ganja in Tamil Nadu's Madurai

The arrested accused have been identified as Prabhakaran and Sentithil Prabhu. While their two partners who managed to escape were identified as Jeyakumar and Ramkumar. A case has been registered.

Acting on a tip-off, police conducted an intensive vehicle checking in the Madurai Kochadai check post area.

"The SS Colony police led by inspector of police, Bhoominathan intercepted a van and seized 951 kg of Ganja," an official said.

"Two people were arrested. While their two other partners managed to escape," an official said.

"Under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Sai Praneeth, the police are conducting intensive patrolling and arresting ganja sellers," the official said.

"Police Commissioner Narendra Nair has ordered strict action against those involved in smuggling and selling ganja in Madurai," an official said.

Meanwhile, The Tamil Nadu South Zone Police have opened up the history sheets against 624 accused in a further step to curb ganja smuggling and selling in southern districts, a police official said earlier in the month.

"Normally, the history sheet is maintained against law and order and crime accused to curb the offence, but the south zone police (comprising the districts of Madurai, Virudhunagar, Dindigul, Theni, Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Tirunelveli, and Tenkasi) opened the history sheet against ganja sellers and smugglers to eradicate sales and smuggling," South zone IG Asra Garg had said earlier in the month.

Out of 624 accused, 85 were from Madurai, 132 from Virudhunagar, 131 from Dindigul, 59 from Theni, 26 from Ramanathapuram, 26 from Sivaganga, 46 from Tirunelveli rural, 15 from Tenkasi, 28 from Thoothukudi, 59 from Kanniyakumari, and 17 from Tirunelveli city.

In 2022 alone, the police have attached Rs.12.5 crore worth of properties from the offenders and their relatives, who have been involved in 13 ganja cases in the south zone limit, Garg had said. (ANI)