A truck-load of ration rice that was being smuggled to Kerala was seized by Civil Supplies - Criminal Investigation Department near Tirumangalam and two persons from Kanniyakumari district were arrested on Sunday.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of sleuths intercepted a Kanniyakumari-district-registered truck at Kappalur toll plaza and found that 300 bags, each containing 50 kgs of ration rice, totally 15 tonnes, were being smuggled. The police arrested the driver, T. Wilson (54) and T. Ashesh (22), both from Vilavencode Taluk of Kanniyakumari district. The police said that the rice belonged to S. Sasikumar of Kamuthi of Ramanathapuram district and was being taken by the truck owned by A. Velayutham of Kanniyakumari district.
A source said that the rice was being smuggled to Kerala for selling it at a higher price.
The police have seized the truck and were on the lookout for the other two accused. A case has been registered under Tamil Nadu Scheduled Commodities Regulation of Distribution by Card System Order, 1982.
