SL drug lords turn Tiruchy spl camp into crime hub: Sources

CHENNAI: A day after the NIA conducted a search operation at the special camp in Tiruchy where foreign nationals with criminal backgrounds are lodged and interrogated Sri Lankans for links with offenders, sources said on Thursday that the Lankan drug mafia members had been lording over various crimes including drug trafficking, kidnapping and murders, sitting in the camp and using over 60 mobile phones and more SIM cards for many months.

As per the regulations for the special camp, where foreigners with criminal records are lodged, use of electronic devices are banned in the premises. The camp is managed by the Revenue Department.

“They were found to have been making calls to foreign countries including Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Maldives to execute illegal activities. The gang, sitting inside the camp, not only managed to make sure their narcotics were sent to the destinations in India and Sri Lanka, but also indulged in killing and kidnapping in other countries,” sources added. The Lankan mafia was controlled by C Gunasekaran, who had been residing in Selaiyur and Pookutti Kanna, from Velachery, in association with Haji Salim, drugs and arms trafficker based in Pakistan.

The gang was not only operating across India and Sri Lanka in illegal drugs and arms trade for the revival of LTTE, but had been functioning as a crime syndicate. The other prominent members of the gangs operating in India have been identified as Mohammad Asmin, Alahapperumaga Sunil Ghamini Fonseaa, Stanly Kennady Fernando and Danukka Roshan, Ladiya and Asitha Noyal Kumara.

The special camp, which houses over 140 foreign inmates, including over 100 people from SL, has been in the news recently after some of the inmates staged a hunger strike seeking release. Videos of the inmates celebrating the birthday of one of them by cutting a 18 kg cake inside the camp were leaked two months ago