A highway patrol team of the district police seized 3.5 tonnes of rice meant for supply through public distribution system (PDS) in the wee hours of Saturday.
The patrol team waved a van to stop near Ozhiginasery, but the driver did not stop the vehicle.
After a hot chase for two km, the patrol team stopped the vehicle near Parvathipuram.
However, the van driver escaped under the cover of darkness, abandoning the vehicle.
The officials found 3.5 tonnes of rice meant for PDS supplyin the van.
Inquiry revealed that the rice was being smuggled to Kerala.
The rice along with the van was handed over to the Food Cell CID for further investigation.
Later, the rice was taken to a TNCSC depot in Nagercoil, police sources said.
