A 49-year-old man was arrested on charges of acting as a courier for an ‘alleged hawala operator’ from Chennai. According to Tambaram police, Mohammed Ansari (49) of Mannady was acting the courier between Qadir of Mannady and unidentified persons in Ramanathapuram District.
Following a tip-off, Tambaram police swooped down on Ansari as he got down from a suburban electric train that had arrived at Tambaram from Chennai Beach. Ansari was taken to Tambaram police station and on being frisked, told policemen that he was carrying Rs. 7.8 lakh in cash, concealed in his kneecaps.
He had got down at Tambaram to board a private or a government bus to reach Ramanathapuram.
Ansari said he was a first-time offender and had been offered a commission to deliver the cash to the persons in Ramanathapuram.
The case would be handed over to Enforcement Directorate, Tambaram police sources added.