Film Producer Smuggled Drugs

Police arrested him?


A film producer of the South Film Industry has been arrested for allegedly smuggling drugs worth Rs. 2,000 crores out of the country.

Jaffer Sadiq, a former DMK functionary, was arrested following a four-month manhunt, said the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Saturday.

The NCB has named Sadiq the "kingpin" of the India-Australia-New Zealand drugs trafficking network. He has smuggled Rs. 2,000 crore drugs to Australia and New Zealand, it said.

"He sent 3,500 kg pseudoephedrine abroad over 45 times," said a top official.

Sadiq has made four films, with his last one expected to be released this month.

His arrest came a week after officers seized methamphetamine worth Rs. 180 crores from two rail passengers in Madurai and a dump yard in Chennai. The drugs were meant for smuggling to Sri Lanka.

A total of 36 kg was seized from the passenger couple and another 6 kg from Kodungaiyur dump yard in Chennai on February 29, officials said. The couple was detained after the seizure.

Methamphetamine, also known as "crystal meth", is a highly addictive psychostimulant drug that exhibits powerful effects similar to those of cocaine.

It has life-threatening consequences, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence said.

Following the drug bust, BJP state chief K Annamalai had lashed out at the ruling DMK and said Tamil Nadu has become the drug capital of India.

Edited By: Arusha Farooq

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