NAMAKKAL: In a major breakthrough the Prohibition Enforcement Wing (PEW) in Namakkal on Thursday arrested three dug peddlers, including the man suspected to be the main supplier of ganja in the town.
In all, 5.69 kilograms of ganja were also seized in the operation, ending months of intensive search for the prime accused, Mohammed Abdul Rahman (25).
Police said that Rahman, a resident of Erumaipatti, has been facing a series of cases related to the sale and supply of ganja. Several criminal cases have been registered against him over time, and from April alone, as many as seven fresh cases have been booked for his repeated involvement in the illegal trade.
Despite continuous searches and multiple attempts by enforcement officials to trace him, Rahman had been absconding for months and managed to evade the police net until his arrest on Thursday.
Rahman is said to have operated the ganja business along with his elder brother, Mohammed Abdullah. While Rahman allegedly acted as the main supplier, Abdullah functioned as a retailer, mainly targeting college students in Namakkal and surrounding areas. Two months ago, Abdullah was detained under the Goondas Act and lodged in custody.
On Thursday, acting on a tip-off, PEW officials tracked down Rahman and arrested him along with two others - R Poovarasan (19) of Erumaipatti, and K Mohammed Absar Khan (25), of Virudhunagar. Along with the arrests, 5.69 kg of ganja was seized.
The PEW operation was carried out under the orders of the SP of Namakkal, S Vimala. A special team, headed by ADySP R Dhanarasu, has been formed to probe the racket further and identify others connected to the supply chain in Namakkal.