The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday conducted searches at 22 locations in Tamil Nadu in connection with a fresh case it has registered with regard to smuggling of arms and narcotics from Sri Lanka, claiming the smuggling aims to revive the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
The agency claimed the searches were conducted at premises of accused and suspects in Chennai, Tiruppur, Chengalpattu and Thiruchirapally districts in Tamil Nadu.
The agency has also claimed the Lankan drug mafia is being operated by C Gunashekharan alias Guna and Pushparajah alias Pookutti Kanna “in association with Haji Salim, drug and arms supplier based in Pakistan”.
“These drugs and arms traffickers have been operating in India and Sri Lanka and working for the revival of LTTE and to further its violent activities,” the agency said in a statement.
The case was registered suo motu by NIA on July 8, under sections 120B of IPC, sections 18, 20, 38, 39 and 40 of UA (P) Act besides section 8(c) read with sections 21(c), 23(c), 24, 27A, 28 and 29 of NDPS Act.
“The searches conducted today have led to recovery and seizure of digital devices and various incriminating documents,” the agency said.
Meanwhile, the agency on Wednesday also conducted searches at nine locations in Kashmir (four in Srinagar and five in Pulwama) in a case related to the conspiracy of carrying out terror activities in and around Srinagar.
The agency has arrested four accused persons and seized 15 Pistols, 30 Magazines, 300 rounds and one Scorpio vehicle, in the case, which was initially registered by J&K police and re-registered by NIA on July 18.
“The searches conducted today at the premises of accused and suspects in the case have led to the recovery and seizure of digital devices and other incriminating materials,” the agency said in a statement.