Chennai Police Arrest Shanmugam and Three Others in Vepery Drug Bust

The Chennai city police have disrupted a drug trafficking network operating from Bengaluru to Chennai, arresting a key suspect and three of his accomplices. The police operation began with a vehicle interception in Vepery on June 20, which eventually led to a multi-state investigation and a final arrest in Maharashtra on June 24.

During the course of the investigation and arrests, law enforcement officers seized various narcotics, gold jewelry, multiple vehicles, and other incriminating materials.

On June 20, a police team was conducting routine vehicle checks near the junction of Jothi Venkatachalam Street and Prathapet Road in Vepery. Officers intercepted a car at the junction and arrested three occupants: Sangeetha, 40, Chiranjeevi, 29, and John, 35, on charges of transporting illegal narcotics.

From the vehicle, the police seized 26.35 grams of methamphetamine, two LSD stamps, and 5.59 grams of MDMA tablets. In addition to the banned substances, investigators confiscated 15 ATM cards, three mobile phones, and the car used to transport the contraband. The three suspects were subsequently remanded in judicial custody.

Further investigation into the group revealed that Sangeetha’s husband, 37-year-old Shanmugam, was the key figure behind the smuggling network. According to the police, Shanmugam was responsible for procuring methamphetamine from Bengaluru and distributing it to buyers throughout Chennai.

To apprehend the main suspect, a special team from the Chennai city police travelled to Pune, where Shanmugam was believed to be hiding. With the assistance of the Satara police, the special team successfully arrested Shanmugam from his hideout in Pune on June 24.

Following the arrest, the police team obtained a transit order from a local magistrate in Satara to bring the suspect back to Tamil Nadu. Shanmugam was brought to Chennai on Friday, where he was produced before a court and remanded in judicial custody on Saturday.