Prisoner handling drug cartel: EPS lashes DMK government

CHENNAI: Leader of Opposition and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami lashed out the DMK government over the alleged involvement of a 70-year-old inmate of the Puzhal Central prison in an international meth smuggling racket from behind the bars. He said that selling of drugs and contrabands have taken a new dimension under the present dispensation. He urged the Centre to investigate the international drug cartel being operated from the Central Prison in Chennai and take appropriate action against the persons behind the network.

Sale of contrabands and drugs had taken place in different forms in the last three years under the DMK regime. Now, it has taken a new dimension as the media reports on how a prisoner used video call facilities in the prison to operate an international drug cartel and smuggled meth, said Palaniswami in a statement.

“This is shocking news to the people of the state,” he said and continued that the prison serves as an institution to rehabilitate and reform peddlers and smugglers, who were arrested for selling drugs. However, the people were suspecting that the prisons have turned into a place to sell drugs.

“On behalf of the TN people, I am urging the Centre to take appropriate action into the shocking developments and take suitable action against the perpetrators,” Palaniswami said.

N Kasilingam, a Sri Lankan national, has been undergoing imprisonment in connection with a meth seizure case. He, however, used the video call facilities to continue his illegal activities. The sleuths of Narcotics Control Bureau’s Chennai Zonal unit busted the network and arrested Kasilingam’s wife and three other Sri Lankans and confiscated 1.47 kg of meth along with Rs 1.5 crore cash and US dollars from them two weeks ago.

Pointing out to the case, Palaniswami said the news sent a shock wave among the people of the state. “Under the DMK regime, the police department has turned into a hounding force. It did not take action against wrongdoers and functionaries of the ruling party for their wrongdoings. The recent development created a doubt whether the prison department has also joined hands with the police department, which failed to maintain law and order,” he wondered.

He further said that the NCB busted the international cartel network and alerted the state police and prison department. “It is really shocking how such magnitude of (illegal) activities take place when the Puzhal prison has top level prison officials?” He wondered and condemned Chief Minister MK Stalin for failing in his duty to check illegal activities.