Vehicle Check in Tiruvallur Leads Police to 72,170 Drug Tablets in Erode

A routine vehicle check conducted at the Manavalanagar junction in Tiruvallur led the police to bust a seven-member drug peddling network and seize 72,170 narcotic tablets from a godown in Erode on Wednesday.

The operation commenced on September 1 when police personnel conducting vehicle checks intercepted 26-year-old Saravanan of Urapakkam. During the inspection, officers seized 380 narcotic tablets from his possession.

During inquiry, Saravanan allegedly disclosed that his friend Udhayam, aged 19 and a resident of Poonamallee, had procured and supplied the tablets before travelling to Erode. Acting on the lead, a special police team headed by Tiruvallur Town inspector Dhamodharan travelled to Erode. The team apprehended Udhayam, along with 20-year-old Sanjay of Lakkapuram and his 18-year-old brother Naveen Kumar.

Subsequent interrogation of Sanjay allegedly revealed that he had secured the consignment from 33-year-old Tamilselvan of Perundurai in Erode and passed it on to Udhayam. Based on this information, the police team tracked down and apprehended Tamilselvan as well as 52-year-old Arul Prakash of Vadakku Mukkam in Erode district.

Following his apprehension, Tamilselvan allegedly informed investigators that a large stock of drug tablets was stored inside a godown situated behind Madhu Medicals in Erode. Further inquiry pointed to the involvement of 30-year-old Gopalakrishnan, an employee at Tamilselvan's shop, and Thangamani, the proprietor of Madhu Medicals. Both were subsequently taken into custody and questioned by the police.

Tiruvallur Superintendent of Police VV Sai Praneeth stated that the investigation would continue until the entire supply chain is thoroughly uncovered. He noted that although the operation originated from a small initial seizure, it systematically led investigators through six distinct levels of the distribution network.

Following the operation, seven individuals were produced before the Judicial Magistrate-II court in Tiruvallur on September 1. The court remanded them to judicial custody until September 15.