More than 2.6 tonnes of turmeric meant to be smuggled to Sri Lanka was seized from Chippikulam sea shore in Tuticorin district of Tamil Nadu in the early hours of Wednesday.
The turmeric, stacked in 87 bags, was to be smuggled to Sri Lanka in a fishing vessel.
According to the police, the Indian ‘Q’ Branch police got a tip-off that turmeric was to be smuggled from that village. A team led by inspector Vijaya Anitha spotted three youths under suspicious circumstances on two motorcycles around 1.30am and picked them up for questioning.
Inquiries revealed that the trio -- identified as R Vineeth, 21, of Kulathur, and J Rabiston, 31, and H Sirilas, 31, of Keelavaippar -- had tried to smuggle turmeric to Sri Lanka for Irudhayavas of Keelavaippar.
The team seized 2,610 kg of turmeric, two motorcycles and three mobile phones from the trio.
Search was on for Irudhayavas who was on the run.
It is the second major turmeric seizure in Tuticorin district in about a week. On June 30, Tamil Nadu police seized 2.5 tonne of turmeric which was to be smuggled to Sri Lanka from Therespuram.
Source: Times of India
-Agencies
