Six arrested as NCB cracks interstate ganja smuggling network

Chennai, April 29 The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has foiled a major drug smuggling attempt involving 200 kg of ganja valued at over Rs 1 crore, arresting six persons, including a double-murder accused and an alleged aide of a Madurai-based gangster.

In a statement on Wednesday, the NCB said the contraband was being transported from Odisha into Tamil Nadu when the vehicle carrying it was intercepted at the Nallur toll plaza in Tiruvallur district, on the outskirts of Chennai, on Sunday.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs and in coordination with the Telangana Police, NCB officials stopped the vehicle and conducted a search, leading to the seizure.

Officials recovered at least 10 bundles of ganja that had been cleverly concealed among other goods to evade detection.

Five individuals travelling in the vehicle were taken into custody on the spot. Subsequent interrogation of the arrested suspects led investigators to the alleged kingpin, identified as Nagalingam alias Raghu, who was apprehended later.

According to NCB officials, Raghu was supposed to receive the consignment in Coimbatore.

He is believed to be associated with a criminal network linked to a Madurai-based gangster known as Vellakali.

Authorities said Raghu has a history of serious criminal offences, including being an accused in a double murder case registered in Virudhunagar district in 2022, for which a warrant is still pending.

Further, he is also facing a case under the Arms Act registered in Madurai in 2024 and was recently named in a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in Karur in 2025, officials added.

The identities of the remaining accused have been withheld for investigative purposes. All six individuals have been remanded in judicial custody.

The NCB said further investigation is underway to identify other members of the inter-state drug syndicate and to trace the financial transactions linked to the operation.

Highlighting its recent enforcement efforts, the NCB Chennai zone stated that it has seized approximately 1,703.35 kg of ganja, 87.64 kg of hashish oil, and 1.045 kg of amphetamine so far this year.

A total of 14 suspects have been arrested in connection with these cases, with the estimated value of the seized narcotics pegged at around Rs 15.15 crore.

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