THOOTHUKUDI: As many as 13 suspects have been detained under Goondas Act in a case pertaining to the smuggling of 228 kg ganja packets from Andhra Pradesh. The Prohibition Enforcement Wing (PEW), on August 28, nabbed 16 people including two women at Pudur Pandiyapuram toll gate. 228 kg of ganja was concealed in bags. The kingpin of ganja smuggling was identified as Aaron, who has been searched in several cases related to illegal hoarding of at least 3,000 kg of ganja.
Based on the recommendation of SP L Balaji Saravanan, district collector Dr K Senthil Raj detained 13 ganja peddlers Aaron, Isakki Ganesh (29), M Saravanan (45), Mookandi alias Raja (30), M Arunkumar (28), M Kaleeswaran (24), E Vigneswaran (28), M Thirumani (29), J Sajin Renie (35), C J Thirumani Kumaran (27), M Dayalan (45), Manikandan (38) and R Sambath Kumar (50).
Thoothukudi district administration has detained 137 culprits under Goondas Act, which includes 13 POCSO cases and 25 drug smuggling cases.