Daijiworld Media Network - Thoothukudi
Thoothukudi, Jul 11: The Tamil Nadu Q Branch police thwarted an alleged cross-border smuggling attempt by seizing a large consignment of beedi leaves valued at nearly Rs 17 lakh from the Thoothukudi coast in the early hours of Saturday. The suspects, however, managed to escape before they could be apprehended.
The operation was carried out after the Q Branch received specific intelligence indicating that beedi leaves had been secretly stored near Inigo Nagar Beach for illegal transportation to Sri Lanka by sea.
Based on the tip-off, a special team headed by Sub-Inspector Ramachandran, assisted by Special Sub-Inspector Ramar, Inspectors Irudayaraj Kumar and Isakkimuthu, and a team of police personnel, conducted an overnight search in the South Police Station jurisdiction of Thoothukudi City.
During the operation, officers located a hidden stockpile in a wooded area south of Inigo Nagar Beach. The cache consisted of 18 bundles of beedi leaves, each weighing around 30 kilograms, which had reportedly been packed and kept ready for loading onto a boat bound for Sri Lanka.
As the police closed in, the suspected smugglers fled the scene under the cover of darkness, avoiding arrest. Along with the seized consignment, officers also confiscated a cargo vehicle believed to have been used to transport the beedi leaves to the coastal loading point.
Officials estimated the value of the seized goods in the international market at approximately Rs 17 lakh. The recovered beedi leaves and the vehicle are being handed over to the Customs Department for further investigation and legal action.
Police have launched a probe to identify the individuals involved in the smuggling attempt and uncover the network behind the operation. Investigators are also examining the ownership of the seized vehicle and collecting intelligence to trace a possible organised syndicate operating along the Thoothukudi coastline.
The seizure is part of intensified coastal surveillance by the Q Branch and other enforcement agencies aimed at preventing illegal cross-border smuggling between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the intended recipients of the consignment and whether the case is linked to a larger smuggling racket operating in the region.