Drug peddlers using juveniles in Kannagi Nagar nabbed

Chennai: Two drug peddlers, who had recruited juveniles to distribute narcotic substances, were arrested by the Kannagi Nagar police during a raid in the Puthupettai Canal area off Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) in Chennai.

Police uncovered a network that used minors to sell drugs in exchange for cash or narcotic tablets.Acting on specific information that ganja and narcotic tablets were being sold in the Puthupettai Canal area, a special team led by inspector S Saravanan conducted a raid and arrested Sengottaiyan, 30, and Karthi, 24, both residents of Kannagi Nagar. Police seized 1.2 kg of ganja and 20 narcotic tablets from their possession.During interrogation, the accused told investigators that they travelled to Mumbai by train to procure narcotic tablets at low prices before transporting them to Chennai for sale. Police said the tablets were purchased for ₹50 each and sold for ₹500 in the Kannagi Nagar and Perumbakkam areas, generating substantial profits.The investigation revealed that the accused recruited juveniles to distribute ganja and narcotic tablets.

According to police, the minors were paid ₹1,000 a day or given two narcotic tablets as commission for selling the contraband. Each juvenile was instructed to sell eight to 10 narco tablets or small packets of ganja daily.Police also found that the accused procured ganja in bulk from suppliers in Chennai, repackaged it into small sachets and sold it in the locality through the juvenile network.The police team arrested six persons involved in ganja and narcotic tablet trafficking in the area during the past two weeks as part of a sustained crackdown on drug peddling.The Kannagi Nagar police produced the suspects—Sengottaiyan and Karthi—before a court and remanded them in judicial custody.