Three policemen, including a sub-inspector of police attached to the Parangipettai police station and a special sub-inspector of the Special Branch (SB) in the district have been transferred to the Armed Reserve (AR), for not keeping senior officers in the loop over the seizure of methamphetamine, a psycho-stimulant ‘party’ drug that was seized off the Pudupettai coast here on Sunday night.
The Police department has initiated disciplinary proceedings against sub-inspector Anandan and Grade I constable Bhagyaraj attached to Parangipettai police station and SSI Ramkumar attached to the Special Branch.
According to an officer, the police team had claimed to have seized four polythene packets of Methamphetamine weighing 2.75 kg that washed ashore off the Pudupettai coast on Sunday. The drug was found in crystal form and packed in packets bearing the name of a Chinese tea brand and covered in polythene covers.
Though the seizure was said to be made on March 14, much before a similar consignment was seized off the Mamallapuram coast in Kancheepuram district, the police personnel had reportedly failed to inform their senior officials of the seizure. The team had recovered eight polythene packets of the drug and had allegedly kept it in front of the station premises.
The team announced the seizure only after a similar consignment was seized of the Mamallapuram coast. The matter came to the notice of Superintendent of Police M. Sree Abhinav, on Thursday, following which he ordered an enquiry. All the three policemen were found guilty of not keeping senior officials in the loop over the seizure and were shifted to the AR.
A senior police officer ruled out foul play and said that the team had originally seized eight packets that were found drifting in the sea following a tip-off from fishermen. Of the total eight packets, two were completely opened by the locals while two were partially opened. The police personnel had kept the opened packets in front of the police station. The contents had spilled out from the packets and they were allegedly burnt by conservancy workers without realizing that it was contraband. The drug was not sold to anyone, he added.