The Civil Supplies CID police have seized over 9 tonnes of ration rice and arrested 3 persons for smuggling the essential commodity to Kerala.
A statement from Civil Supplies CID said a lorry carrying 9,440 kg ration rice was intercepted during vehicle check held at Paappaankulam intersection near Thaazhaiyooththu on Tirunelveli outskirts on Wednesday. Besides seizing the rice-laden lorry, the police arrested G. Chellappa, 54, of Pallikottai near Maanur here, who is the owner of the vehicle and the rice, lorry driver E. Muthukumar, 40, of Naanalkaadu near Vallanaadu in Thoothukudi district, helper R. Natarajan, 30, of Rajavallipuram near Thaazhaiyooththu.
The hunt is on to nab N. Mahesh Kumar of Mundakal near Kollam in Kerala, who was about to receive the smuggled essential commodity.
During investigation, the CS – CID police found that Chellappa had purchased the ration rice from Maanur, Naanjaankulam, Thenkalampudur, Paruththikulam, Maettu Piraanchery and Muppanaapuram.
