Pain killer tablets intended for smuggling to Sri Lanka seized in Rameswaram; smugglers escape

Pain killer tablets allegedly intended for Sri Lanka, which was smuggled in a country boat was impounded in the early hours on Tuesday (Dec. 12), the Hindu reported.

Marine Police sources said the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) personnel, who were on surveillance duty, spotted a country boat moving near Musal islet on the south sea at around 5 a.m. As the ICG team approached towards the country boat, the occupants jumped into the sea and escaped under the cover of darkness.

As the boat was abandoned, the ICG personnel towed it to the shore. Physical checks revealed that the boat had 13 bundles of tablets, which was approximately 100,000 in number.

A senior official said that the pain killer tablet was apparently being smuggled to Sri Lanka. Since the occupants escaped, the police have to interrogate, he added

The country boat was unregistered, but preliminary investigations by the police showed that the owner may be from Vethalai Kuravanthope. Further investigation was on.

Source: The Hindu
--Agencies