Chennai: In a major haul of narcotics, the DRI seized 156 kg of drugs, including 90 kg of heroin, worth over Rs 71 crore. It also arrested 10 people, including a Malaysian national, besides unearthing an illegal Narco manufacturing unit in Red Hills on Saturday morning.
Apart from heroin, the DRI sleuths had seized 56 kg of pseudoephedrine and 11 kg of methamphetamine from the illegal factory running from the premises of 'Kubendran traders', located on Erikarai road in Budhur near Red Hills. The narco factory was camouflaged as soap making unit.
"In fact, Rs 71 crore is the minimum value. Actually, in the international grey market the value increases, many folds," a DRI official said. It may be noted that the same area was in the limelight during July last year, when income tax investigators raided illegal pan masala and gutkha manufacturing units functioning in the locality.
With the DRI unearthing a narcotics factory in Chennai and regular seizure and arrests of smugglers by various agencies has now proved that Chennai has become a safe haven for narcotics smugglers. In the last two weeks, the narcotics control bureau had totally seized 30 kg of pseudoephedrine in two separate incidents at Chennai airport and had hinted about the possibilities of narcotics kingpins running illegal units to make narcotics in Chennai.
With the DRI unearthing one factory, central agencies is expected to look for more such factories in and around Chennai. In the secluded portion of the detergent manufacturing facility, the gang had installed an elaborate apparatus to process and 'cook' methamphetamine under finally controlled environment, DRI said.
The entire strength of DRI, Chennai unit, who was operating in need to know basis for this highly secret operation, had also raided the godown premises in the city as well. During the raids, the sleuths seized methamphetamine and a large quantity of raw materials used in its manufacture the drugs. These raw materials will be transported from the godown to the Budhur factory and the finished product will be brought back to the godown before distribution and 'export'.
