Gang of four smuggling ganja in ambulance arrested

NAGAPATTINAM: Police seized about 28 kg of ganja being smuggled in an ambulance from Chennai to Vedaranyam and also arrested four persons. Based on a tip-off about ganja being smuggled to Sri Lanka via Vedaranyam, a team of Tamil Nadu Q branch Police conducted inspection at the borders on the wee hours of Tuesday.

They waylaid an ambulance and on questioning found the answers of the gang of four persons contradicting. They searched the vehicle and found 28 kg of ganja worth 5 lakh in 14 packets. “On inquiry, they told that they were returning from a hospital and were on their way to drop the injured person at his house near Velankanni.

The police learnt that their addresses were based in Chennai and grew suspicious,” said V Barath Srinivas, DSP of NIB- CID Nagapattinam Zone. J Balamurugan, an Inspector from NIB-CID, said, “The group had managed to slip through multiple check points with blaring siren indicating medical emergency.” 

Police said C Rajkumar (46) from Ayyappan Nagar was driving the ambulance; T Vignesh (26) from Villivakkam was posing as the injured while M Mahendran (24) from Ayanavaram and S Sundar (36) from Tondiarpet were acting as attenders.  

The Q branch Police then handed over the suspects, ambulance van and the seized consignment to NIB- CID. The four persons have been booked under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.