NIA arrests 9 Sri Lankan nationals in Tamil Nadu for attempting to revive LTTE in India

New Delhi: The NIA has arrested nine Sri Lankan nationals from a special camp for Tamil refugees at Tiruchirappalli for their alleged involvement in smuggling of drugs and arms to revive the activities of terror group, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) said that the two arrested Sri Lankan men were in regular touch with Pakistan-based drug dealer Haji Salim, who often travelled between Dubai, Pakistan and Iran. These men and Salim were working to revive the LTTE in India and Sri Lanka, the agency added.

“The case pertains to activities of a Sri Lankan drug mafia controlled by C Gunashekharan alias Guna and Pushparajah alias Pookutti Kanna, in association with Haji Salim, drug and arms supplier based in Pakistan, which has been operating in India and Sri Lanka in illegal drugs and arms for the revival of LTTE in India and Sri Lanka,” NIA said.

“This case was registered suo-moto by the NIA on 8 July this year,” the agency spokesperson said.

NIA arrests nine Sri Lankan nationals

Those arrested by NIA are – C Gunashekharan alias Guna, a resident of Colombo, Pushparajah alias Pookutti Kanna; Mohammad Asmin; Alahapperumaga Sunil Ghamini Fonseaa, Stanly Kennady Fernando, Ladiya Chandrasena, Dhanukka Roshan, Vella Suranka and Thilipan.

NIA Arrests nine Accused persons in Illegal Drugs and Arms Trade in Sri Lanka and India Case pic.twitter.com/mSzeeiIL5m

— NIA India (@NIA_India) December 20, 2022

A report by Hindustan Times quoted a counter-terrorism official in Delhi saying that Haji Salim runs one of the biggest networks of smuggling drugs and arms from Pakistan to Sri Lanka.

Since last year, NIA has registered at least four cases to probe conspiracy by several LTTE cadres based in India and Sri Lanka to revive the activities of the banned outfit by indulging in arms smuggling, ferrying of drugs and using hawala for transfer of funds.

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