Courtesy OneIndia

The revival of the LTTE has been on the radar of the investigation agencies for long. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) recently seized a huge cache of cash, gold bars, digital devices, drugs and documents, along with other incriminating material during the raids and searches conducted at Chennai.

In a release the NIA said that the raids were conducted at residential and business premises of eight suspects in an Indo-Sri-Lankan illegal drugs and arms trade racket aimed at reviving the LTTE. The agency had initiated the investigations into the case in July 2022.

During the raids the NIA arrested one person, taking the total number of arrests to 14, with 13 being arrested in the month of December last year. Raids were conducted in 21 locations in Tamil Nadu following the registration of the case.

Investigations into the case have shown that the proceeds of drugs and arms trade in Sri Lanka were received in India through Hawala agents, including one Shahid Ali of Chennai. It was further found that the Hawala transactions to obtain the process of Drugs and Arms trade were done through hotels and businesses based in Mannadi, Chennai, the NIA release also Sid.

The latest seizure included Rs. 68 Lakhs Indian currency and 1000 Singapore Dollars, 09 Gold Biscuits (total 300 gram) from the shop of Shahid Ali. The NIA has also recovered Rs. 12 Lakhs in Indian currency from the Hotel – Orange Palace at Chennai.

The suspected arrested following yesterday’s searches was identified as Ayyappan Nandhu. He has been found to be managing the drug trade on behalf of Muhammed Asmin, a Sri Lankan refugee and a drug trafficker who had conspired with other accused to revive LTTE through drugs and arms trade, the NIA also said.

Sources tell OneIndia that the LTTE has been trying to revive itself.Some former operatives based in Europe were trying to withdraw money and use it to revive the outfit.

The source also added that in the past couple of years, these former operatives had funded webinars to speak about the importance of reviving the outfit. They have been targeting people in the rural areas and they have also roped in several NGOs to arrange such events. The probe also revealed that the money that has been lying in the accounts went into several crores of Rupees. While this amount remained untouched for long, attempts are now being made to withdraw the same, the source cited above said.

All this came to light following the arrest of a Sri Lankan national, Letchumanan Mary Franciska (50) from the Chennai Airport. The police said that the arrest was made as she was holding a fake Indian passport. She had entered India in December on a tourist visa in 2019, which was valid for one year. She stayed back in India citing the COVID-19 outbreak.

She then got herself an Indian passport using an LPG connection. She was however arrested when she tried to fly into Bengaluru, following which the case was transferred to the NIA. The NIA is currently probing the larger conspiracy into the case.

Read more at: https://www.oneindia.com/india/as-ltte-makes-revival-attempts-nia-digs-deeper-into-larger-conspiracy-3546194.html?story=1