NCB arrests ex-DMK functionary in international drugs trafficking case

New Delhi: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Saturday said it has arrested Jaffer Sadiq, a former DMK party functionary in Tamil Nadu, in connection with an international drugs trafficking investigation case estimated to be worth more than Rs 2,000 crore.

The federal anti-narcotics agency has termed Sadiq as the "mastermind and kingpin" of this illicit network spread between India, Australia, and New Zealand.

Sadiq, a producer of Tamil films, was recently expelled by the ruling DMK from the party after his name and purported links to the drug network were mentioned by the agency. He was the Chennai West deputy organiser of the DMK's NRI wing.

The opposition BJP and AIADMK in the state have been targeting the DMK over the matter.

Last month, the NCB said, it arrested three people, all hailing from Tamil Nadu, and seized 50 kg of narcotics-making chemical pseudoephedrine during a raid at a godown in Delhi.

The searches by the NCB along with the special cell of the Delhi Police came about on a tip-off they received towards the end of 2023 from the Australian and New Zealand authorities about "large quantities" of pseudoephedrine concealed in desiccated coconut powder and mixed food powder being smuggled into their countries from India.

An additional input from the US DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) indicated that the source of these consignments was in the national capital, the NCB had said in a statement.

The three arrested persons allegedly said that a total of 45 pseudoephedrine consignments were sent by them over the last 3 years, containing about 3,500 kgs of pseudoephedrine valued at over Rs 2,000 crore in the international market, as per the NCB.

The NCB since then had been looking for Sadiq to "ascertain the source" of this pseudoephedrine and had also raided his premises in Chennai recently.

Alleging that the state has turned into a den of drugs under the DMK rule, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said on Friday that Chief Minister M K Stalin owes an explanation to the people on how Jaffer Sadiq gained access to a senior police officer.

"Jaffer Sadiq became close to the DMK leadership and even obtained a gift from a DGP. This is very unfortunate and anguishing and needs to be condemned," Palaniswami told reporters in Chennai.

Pseudoephedrine is a highly addictive synthetic drug, and even though it has some legal uses, it is classified as a controlled substance in India, bringing strict regulation on its production, possession, trade, export and use.

Illegal possession and trade of pseudoephedrine is punishable by up to 10 years of imprisonment under the NDPS Act.