In a significant breakthrough in the ongoing investigation into the international drug cartel case, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has apprehended a major suspect, SG Sadanandan alias Sada, in Chennai. Sadanandan believed to be a close associate of Jaffar Sadiq, the suspected kingpin of a drug cartel involved in exporting pseudoephedrine to Australia and New Zealand, was arrested from his residence in Teynampet on March 13.
Jaffar Sadiq, a Tamil film producer and expelled DMK functionary, was arrested by the NCB last week in connection with a massive drug trafficking network busted by the agency. Following a raid on a godown in Delhi, three individuals were apprehended, and synthetic drugs worth Rs. 2000 crores were seized. Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of Sadiq, who is suspected of orchestrating the transnational narcotics trafficking ring.
Sada’s arrest sheds light on the intricate logistics involved in Sadiq’s operations. According to NCB officials, Sadanandan played a crucial role in handling the logistics of Sadiq’s drug trafficking network, which had a logistical support system established in Trichy and Chennai. Sada was allegedly responsible for packing pseudoephedrine in godowns located in Chennai and Trichy, concealing the drugs among cocoa powder and ragi powder.
NCB Deputy Director General (Operations) Gyaneshwar Singh revealed that Sada’s arrest was a significant development in unravelling the operations of Jaffar Sadiq’s drug cartel. Singh also hinted at Sada’s linkages with high-profile individuals in the Tamil and Hindi film industries, as well as instances of political funding being probed by the agency.
Officials disclosed that Sadanandan had been under surveillance since Jaffar Sadiq’s arrest, as authorities had been monitoring his movements closely. Following his apprehension in Chennai, Sadanandan was produced before a magistrate and subsequently transferred to Delhi for further questioning.
Sada becomes the fifth person to be arrested in connection with the case, following the apprehension of Jaffar Sadiq and three others allegedly involved in the racket. His detention comes on the heels of the NCB issuing look-out-notices against Sadiq’s brothers, Salim and Moideen, indicating a widening probe into the drug syndicate’s network.
P Aravindan, Director of NCB’s Chennai zone, revealed that Sadanandan and Jaffar had a long-standing association, with previous encounters with law enforcement agencies. In 2013, Sadanandan was arrested by the customs department while attempting to export a similar substance to Malaysia, with Jaffar Sadiq also implicated in the case. The duo’s modus operandi involved operating under various company names, with their most recent godown operating under the guise of “Samy Stores.”
NCB sources divulged details of Jaffar Sadiq’s lucrative drug operations, estimating earnings of Rs. 25 crore in 2018 from exporting drugs to Malaysia. Sadiq diversified his investments into businesses such as film production, seafood, and dates, after his properties were frozen by agencies following his initial arrest. However, the focus of investigators remains on tracing the source of pseudoephedrine and other synthetic drugs, with Sadiq owning a pharmaceutical manufacturing company.
The NCB’s probe has uncovered a staggering volume of drug trafficking activity, with Sadiq and his associates allegedly involved in sending 45 consignments containing pseudoephedrine to Australia, New Zealand, and Malaysia over the past three years. The total quantity of drugs seized is estimated at approximately 3,500 kgs, valued at over Rs. 2,000 crores in international markets.
In a significant development, both the National Investigations Agency (NIA) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have sought details from the NCB headquarters to probe potential money-laundering and terror-related angles in the case. The expanding scope of the investigation has drawn attention on social media, with netizens noting the unprecedented scrutiny faced by the DMK from various central agencies.
