Four men were arrested in the early hours of Monday 28 September 2026 when Thoothukudi Q branch police intercepted their car and found packets of hashish oil inside.[1] Police identified them as J. Rexton, 53, C. Rosario, 40 and S. Antony Libitas, 36, all of Thoothukudi, and M. Sermadurai, 46, of Siluvaipatti.[1] The men were allegedly taking the contraband by car for smuggling to the Maldives.[1]

Police said they acted on a tip-off and intensified surveillance across the district before intercepting the vehicle.[1] Officers seized 17 kg of hashish oil.[1] PTI put the value at about Rs 17 crore (170 million rupees) on the international market.[2] PTI reported that the suspects had planned to launch a boat to take it across the sea to the Maldives.[3]

The Q branch handed the men and the seized oil to the Narcotics Intelligence Bureau for further investigation.[1] DT Next reported that a case had been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.[3] Police were questioning the men to trace the source of the oil and the syndicate members waiting for the consignment in the Maldives, the report said.[3] Hashish oil is a concentrated extract of the cannabis plant, high in THC, the compound responsible for its intoxicating effects.[3]