2 held for bid to sell fake drug in Tuticorin

MADURAI: Police arrested two smugglers who were trying to sell alum (aluminum potassium sulfate) as crystal methamphetamine in Tuticorin. Police also seized VHF sets, walkie-talkies, mobile phones, a four-wheeler and a two-wheeler from the duo. Preliminary investigation revealed that they patched their VHF set with a police network and were listening to police communications.
The Q branch police in the district received a tip-off about drug smuggling in the VE Road area. Based on the tip-off, a team led by inspector Vijayanitha was monitoring the area.
They rounded up two people who were found in a suspicious manner and seized three packages, each weighing one kilogram, neatly covered in water proof material, from them. The team inspected the package and found a material like sugar crystals. A lab inspection revealed that the crystals are alum.
According to Q sources, the duo, identified as Selvakumar, 65, and Agustine Thenraj, 54, were trying to sell the material as crystal methamphetamine, a strong addictive drug. The Q sleuths found that they had fixed VHF set in their four wheeler and were using walkie-talkies. They have apparently patched the VHF with a police network and were monitoring police communications.
Selvakumar was earlier held in a gold smuggling case and was acquitted, while Thenraj has a pending case of smuggling 5kg heroin. Q branch police handed over the accused and all the seized materials to Thenpagam police for further investigation. Police are also investigating how the smugglers managed to patch their VHF with police frequency.