A special team of Nagapattinam Police arrested six men on 31 July 2023 who were suspected of belonging to an international ganja smuggling gang and seized contraband bound for Sri Lanka.[1] Police named the six as V. Ravi, 53, of Agasthiyampalli; M. Lakshmanan, 43, of Kodiyakadu; M. Ravi, 28, and K. Vedhamani, 27, of Thethakudi; M. Kumar, 44, of Kunnam in Perambalur district; and J. Mayakrishnan, 29, of Madurai.[1] ABP Nadu identified the Kodiyakadu accused, Lakshmanan, as a DMK functionary.[2] Vedaranyam police registered a case against the six under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, and they were arrested and remanded in judicial custody.[1] The accused were produced before the criminal magistrate court at Vedaranyam and lodged in Nagapattinam prison.[2]

Acting on a tip-off, the special team ran a surprise vehicle check near the Kuravappulam Railway level crossing late on Sunday night and intercepted a four-wheeler.[1] Police found over 300 kg of ganja packed in 12 bags, meant to be smuggled to Sri Lanka, and confiscated it.[1] Questioning revealed the ganja had been bought in Andhra Pradesh and driven via Madurai to Vedaranyam for smuggling to Sri Lanka.[3] Police also seized the four-wheeler and two two-wheelers used in the operation.[1] Maalaimalar put the weight at about 300 kg and its value at about 60 lakh rupees.[3] ABP Nadu reported the haul’s Indian value at about 60 lakh rupees and its possible overseas value at about six crore rupees.[2]

Superintendent of Police Harsh Singh told The Hindu that a special police team had a tip-off that a large quantity of ganja was entering Nagapattinam district from the Odisha-Andhra border areas.[1] He said the drugs were meant to go illegally to Sri Lanka by sea, with Nagapattinam as a transit point.[1] Singh inspected the seized contraband at Vedaranyam police station on 31 July.[1] Police said further investigations were under way.[1]