Sleuths from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday conducted searches at the Special Camp for housing Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Tiruchirapalli and in other places in connection with seizure of drugs and weapons off the coast of Vizhinjam in Kerala in March 2021.
The searches were conducted by NIA teams from Kochi which probe over 20 Sri Lankans lodged at the Special Camp and in places like Madurai in the state. Sources said the searches were in connection with the seizure of 300 kg of heroin, 5 AK-47 guns and 1,000 live rounds from a boat by the Indian Coast Guard during patrol off Vizhinjam coast on March 18, 2021.
The Vizhinjam police had arrested six Sri Lankan nationals after which the NIA took over the case. The agency had conducted searches in Tamil Nadu and Kerala in August 2021 and seized various incriminating documents, digital devices, SIM cards and tablets were recovered.
During Wednesday’s raids, the sleuths checked around 20 Sri Lankans in the camp and recovered mobile phones and other electronic devices from them.
Published 20 July 2022, 13:39 IST