Organised Crime Intelligence Unit (OCIU) detained an old man with 90 kg of ganja and seized the contraband.
Acting on a tipoff, an OCIU team raided Alaikattavalasai, a coastal hamlet at Irumeni near Uchipuli on Thursday and seized the ganja, packed in 45 packets, and detained M. Azhagarsamy (75) of Pandiyur. The man, who was living with his paramour in the hamlet, told the police that he received the contraband from three persons on Tuesday night for safe custody. They told him that they would take the drugs on Thursday night. The OCIU handed over the man and the contraband to the Uchipuli police which registered a case. The ‘D-Team’ formed recently to mount surveillance on drug traffickers and ex-offenders to curb smuggling activities is coordinating with the OCIU to nab the three accused.
They were identified as Maiazhagu and Durai from Pandiyur and Bakiyaraj from Dhanushkodi. The trio, who were ex-offenders, became friends while undergoing imprisonment at Madurai Central prison, police said.
