Marine Police and the Organised Crime Intelligence Unit (OCIU) in Rameswaram jointly arrested a man and seized 6.79 lakh sleeping pills from his possession. The team also impounded a fibre boat at Periapattinam on Sunday.
Officials said that following a specific input, the teams were on the lookout for the suspect. When the accused was about to board the waiting fibre boat at Periapattinam, Pudukudiyuruppu south sea area, with the pills, he was secured. He was identified as A. Mohamed Meerashah of East Street Periapattinam.
The team seized the sleeping pills and a mobile phone. Further investigation was on.
A senior officer, who was part of the investigations said the accused was about to venture into the sea and handover the pills to an agent. “We are in the process of gathering more information,” he added.
The sleeping pills were in great demand in Sri Lanka and the tablets were sold in black market at a premium.