THOOTHUKUDI
The Q Branch police arrested four persons and seized turmeric and cardamom, among others, worth about ₹ 7 lakh from them which was reportedly intended to be smuggled to Sri Lanka on Wednesday.
Following a specific information, that a gang had planned to smuggle through a waiting boat in Kovalam beach near here, surveillance was intensified.
At the appointed time, when a lorry came in, the police led by Inspector Vijay Anitha and team intercepted it. Sensing trouble, four among the eight persons in the vehicle escaped. However, the police secured the other four suspects.
Preliminary inquiries revealed that they were planning to smuggle turmeric, turmeric powder, raw cardamom to an agent in Colombo. A boat, which was hired, was waiting to take the contraband.
After seizure, the police found that 2.82 tonens of turmeric, 1.52 tonnes of turmeric powder and 125 kg of cardamom all worth ₹ 7 lakh and the lorry was seized.
The names of the accused were given as Balaganesan (50) of Muthukrishnapuram, Jebamani (38) of Amman Koil Street, Sawyerpuram, Harichandran (21) of Kamaraj Nagar First Street and Subramanian (60) of Sayalkudi, Ramanathapuram district.
The police have obtained the names of the four suspects, who had escaped from the spot. Special team had been formed to secure them, police added.
Meanwhile, a senior officer, who was overseeing the operation, said that of late, smuggling of turmeric to Sri Lanka had increased. Strict enforcement and stepped up vigil had led to the seizure of the goods from Thoothukudi and Rameswaram.
