Chennai: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has found an Indian line in the seizure of five AK-47 rifles and Rs 3,000-crore worth of heroin from a Sri Lanka boat off the Kerala coast on March 25. NIA had arrested two Chennai natives identified as Suresh Raj aka Chinna Suresh (39) and Soundarajan aka Soundar (21). As per NIA, the arrested were a part of a racket run by a foreigner.
Suresh and Soundarajan are the seventh and eighth accused in the case registered by NIA. Earlier on march 25, the Coast Guard had intercepted a boat ‘Ravihansi’ off Kerala coast. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) recovered 300 kg of cocaine that originated in Afghanistan, five AK-47 rifles and 1,000 9mm bullets from the boat and arrested six Sri Lankan nationals. The investigation was handed over to NIA by the NCB. The case has been registered under Section 7 of the Arms Act for possession and acquisition of prohibited arms and ammunition.
NIA has found out that the boat is owned by one Loku Yaddehige Nishantha aka Suddu. ‘He was expected to receive the drugs and arms. We also unearthed the involvement of a foreigner who is a close aide of Loku and the kingpin of the racket involved in drugs, weapons and human trafficking. We are tracing the boat owner and the kingpin foreigner with Interpol’s help,’ Indian Express reported citing a source.
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‘Both Suresh and Soundarajan were in touch with the foreigner. They communicated via social media. We suspect the duo coordinated the kingpin’s activities, especially the human trafficking network, in India. We also doubt that one of them is a Sri Lankan who was living in India after obtaining fake documents,’ said the source.
Suresh and Soundarajan were under Tamil Nadu police custody as they were arrested by Kanchipuram Q Branch in relation with a human trafficking case. Following an NIA court order, Q Branch officials brought them to Kochi on Monday. The court had sent them to NIA custody for 9 days.
The other six Sri Lankan national arrested by the NCB and NIA are L Y Nandana, 46, of Nakulugamuwa; H K G B Janakadassppriya, 42, of Nakulugamuwa; A H S Mendis Gunasekara, 33, of Dondanduwa; Thilanka Madushan Ransingha, 29, of Dondanduwa; and Dadallage Nisanka, 40, of Rathgama.
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