CHENNAI: A routine vehicle check in Tiruvallur led the police to a cache of 72,170 narcotic tablets in Erode on Wednesday, and bust a seven-member network involved in peddling drugs.
The operation began on September 1, after the police conducting vehicle checks at Manavalanagar junction intercepted Saravanan (26) of Urapakkam. The police seized 380 narcotic tablets from him.
During inquiry, Saravanan allegedly told the police his friend Udhayam (19) of Poonamallee had procured and supplied the tablets to him and that he was in Erode. Acting on the information, a team led by Tiruvallur Town inspector Dhamodharan went to Erode and apprehended Udhayam, Sanjay (20) of Lakkapuram and his brother Naveen Kumar (18).
During further questioning, Sanjay allegedly revealed he had received the tablets from Tamilselvan (33) of Perundurai in Erode and supplied them to Udhayam. The police then apprehended Tamilselvan and Arul Prakash (52) of Vadakku Mukkam in Erode district.
Tamilselvan allegedly told police a large quantity of drug tablets was stored in a godown behind Madhu Medicals in Erode.
Further inquiry allegedly revealed the involvement of Gopalakrishnan (30), who worked at Tamilselvan’s shop, and Thangamani, proprietor of Madhu Medicals. Both were subsequently apprehended and questioned.
SP VV Sai Praneeth said the investigation would continue until the entire supply chain is uncovered. “It was a small seizure initially, but it led us through six levels of the network,” Sai Praneeth told TNIE.
Seven indivuals were produced before Judicial Magistrate-II, Tiruvallur, on September 1 and remanded in judicial custody till September 15.