In a breakthrough in a transnational drug trafficking case, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Chennai has arrested Siluvairaj, a key member of an alleged drug syndicate who was on the run for nearly three years. He was taken into custody on Monday from Chennai, following a sustained manhunt by NCB officers.
The case dates back to November 2022, when the NCB, acting on intelligence, intercepted a Tata Sumo Victa on the Ramanathapuram-Tuticorin State Highway.
Officials discovered 4.440 kilograms of hashish oil concealed in the vehicle. Two occupants-both from Tuticorin-were detained, and their interrogation led authorities to identify Siluvairaj, a resident of Ramanathapuram, as the key handler responsible for transporting the contraband intended for trafficking to Sri Lanka.
Soon after his accomplices were arrested, Siluvairaj fled to Thailand and Sri Lanka, evading arrest and leaving investigators chasing multiple leads.
Over the course of the investigation, the NCB identified and arrested four other individuals linked to the syndicate. All of them are currently in judicial custody, and the case is under trial at the Principal District Judge Court (Special Court for EC & NDPS Act cases) in Madurai.
With the arrest of Siluvairaj, the NCB believes it has netted a crucial link in the international drug pipeline operating out of Tamil Nadu's coastal belt.
"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," the agency said in a statement.
The NCB has urged citizens to support its mission for a drug-free India by reporting drug trafficking on the toll-free MANAS Helpline (1933), assuring complete confidentiality for informants.
