ED Raids Five Locations in Tamil Nadu Over International Drug Smuggling Network

May 27, 2026 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted search operations at five locations in Chennai and Madurai as part of an investigation into an international drug smuggling racket allegedly linked to the illegal trafficking of narcotic substances to Sri Lanka through sea routes.

The raids were carried out under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) based on two cases registered by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) against accused John Britto and others under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and the Customs Act.

According to the ED, the syndicate was involved in smuggling huge quantities of narcotic drugs, including 99 kilograms of hashish worth nearly Rs 108 crore and more than 37 kilograms of methamphetamine, commonly known as ICE, valued at around Rs 150 crore.

The agency stated that the contraband was allegedly being transported to Sri Lanka using maritime routes. Further investigation into the money laundering aspects and international links of the syndicate is currently underway.