Vehicle Check at Manavalanagar Leads Tiruvallur Police to 72,170 Drug Tablets

A routine vehicle inspection at Manavalanagar junction in Tiruvallur led police to uncover a cache of 72,170 narcotic tablets in Erode and dismantle a seven-member drug-peddling network.

The operation commenced on September 1 when police officers conducting checks at Manavalanagar junction intercepted Saravanan, 26, a resident of Urapakkam. During the search, personnel seized 380 narcotic tablets from his possession.

During interrogation, Saravanan informed police that his friend Udhayam, 19, from Poonamallee, had procured the tablets and supplied them to him, adding that Udhayam was currently in Erode. Acting on the lead, a police team led by Tiruvallur Town Inspector Dhamodharan travelled to Erode. The team apprehended Udhayam alongside Sanjay, 20, of Lakkapuram, and his 18-year-old brother, Naveen Kumar.

Subsequent questioning of Sanjay revealed that he had obtained the narcotic tablets from Tamilselvan, 33, hailing from Perundurai in Erode district, before passing them to Udhayam. Police then tracked down and apprehended Tamilselvan along with Arul Prakash, 52, of Vadakku Mukkam in Erode district.

Tamilselvan disclosed to investigators that a massive consignment of drug tablets was being stored inside a godown located behind Madhu Medicals in Erode. The discovery led to the seizure of 72,170 tablets on Wednesday.

Further inquiries revealed the involvement of Gopalakrishnan, 30, an employee at Tamilselvan's shop, and Thangamani, the proprietor of Madhu Medicals. Both individuals were subsequently apprehended and questioned by the investigating team.

Superintendent of Police VV Sai Praneeth said the probe would continue until the entire supply chain is dismantled. Sai Praneeth noted that while it began as a small initial seizure, the investigation successfully traced through six levels of the network.

Seven individuals were produced before the Judicial Magistrate-II court in Tiruvallur and remanded in judicial custody until September 15.