COIMBATORE: Coimbatore district police have intensified surveillance on guest workers, especially from Assam after some of them were found to be in possession of a new narcotic substance. According to sources, on September 29, police came to know about the use of the new substance by a few guest workers living in Thondamuthur.
Two guest workers were arrested and 20 grams of the unidentified substance was seized. Police sources said the drug, a powder believed to be a mix of heroin, was brought from groups operating in Nagaon district of Assam near the Nagaland border.
The drug was transported by train to Tamil Nadu and Kerala to be supplied to Assam natives. Coimbatore district police are working to trace the network, sources said. On Wednesday, police arrested two more Assam natives, including a woman, in Thondamuthur and seized around 85 grams of the powder.
Two cases were booked under Sections 8 (c), and 22 (b) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. “A vial of 10 to 12 mg powder is sold for `3,000. The powder is filled in vials mostly by stay-at-home women, like a cottage industry. So far, 105 grams of powder worth `27 lakh has been seized in two cases,” police said.
According to police, around 5,000 people from Assam are working in betel nut processing units in Coimbatore. “The cases were booked because the seized material was suspected to be a narcotic substance. Samples have been sent to a forensic laboratory in Chennai and the results are awaited. Initial tests indicate that the substance may be a drug mixed with heroin,” a senior police official said.
“Even though the arrested persons are economically backward, they are not using free legal aid. Somebody else is helping them with the case and the suspects are not cooperating with the investigation. This is the first time that such a substance has been detected in Tamil Nadu,” said an officer.