Two Lankans held for smuggling

The Ramanathapuram district police of Tamil Nadu have detained two Srilankans, allegedly engaged in gold smuggling and drug trafficking. The two had arrived here through ‘proper channel’ after despatching a consignment of two kg of gold through the sea route.

Acting on a tip-off, Kilakarai police detained the smugglers, identified as S. Lamudhin (40) and A. Mohamed Jasmine (35), both natives of Talaimannar, when they were on their way to Pamban to collect money for the smuggled gold, police sources said.

The police also secured two locals, M. Nawaz Khan, a member of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), and R. Murugan, a cable television operator, who helped the Lankan Tamils in the smuggling activities, and launched a hunt for two others, including a Lankan Tamil, who has been living in the State for about 10 years.

Lamudhin arrived here on January 15 and Jasmine on January 25 on tourist visas with a clear plan to return after collecting money for the smuggled gold and despatch an unspecified quantity of ganja via the sea route, the sources said. (The Hindu)