Four arrested for ephedrine smuggling

September 02, 2014 08:00 am | Updated 08:00 am IST - KANCHEEPURAM:

The Kancheepuram district police have stumbled upon an ephedrine smuggling network, following the arrest of four persons, including an armed reserve police constable. 

Superintendent of Police C. Vijayakumar said that, on August 28, around 12.30 a.m., the gang had intercepted a van carrying a medicine consignment at Malaipattu hamlet on Sriperumpudur-Tambaram Road. The van, which was loaded with 1,000 kg of ephedrine at a pharmaceutical company in Ranipet on August 27, was proceeding to Chennai airport.

The gang attacked the driver, Dinesh, and the security guard, Kannabiran, and brought the vehicle to Kancheepuram by-pass road junction near Kilambi. Here, they transferred the consignment, packed in plastic bags, to two waiting vehicles.

Around 4.30 a.m., a patrol team, comprising sub-inspector Senthil Vadivel and constable Annamamalai, intercepted one of the vehicles. One of the suspects, Karthikeyan, claimed to be an armed reserve police constable and said he and his friends were returning to Vellore from Kancheepuram.

A few minutes later, the patrol team noticed an injured Kannabiran a few metres away. He informed the patrol team of the theft.

Karthikeyan and his friends — George, Balaji and Karthi, all from Vellore — were arrested on August 3. A total of 450 kg of ephedrine was seized. Another eight persons were also involved, Mr. Vijayakumar said. 

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