Chennai: Ali Khan Tughlaq, the son of Tamil actor Mansoor Ali Khan, was arrested Wednesday in connection with a drug trafficking case.
His arrest followed an intensive investigation by the Thirumangalam Police, who interrogated him Tuesday.
The police initiated the probe after receiving intelligence linking Tughlaq to individuals involved in the drug trade, several of whom had been recently arrested.
Authorities had earlier arrested 10 individuals, including college students, in connection with the drug trafficking network.
Seyad Saki, Mohammed Riyas Ali and Faisal Ahmed were detained. Tughlaq was arrested along with three others, and all four were in police custody for further questioning.
Tamil Nadu has recorded many cases of international drug syndicates, with banned narcotics such as methamphetamine (meth) and its precursor, pseudoephedrine, being smuggled to countries like Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Australia, where demand is high.
Local police and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) have increased their vigilance following inputs about Tamil Nadu being used as a transit point for drug smuggling.
In 2024 alone, the NCB and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized meth valued at approximately Rs 380 crore.
Sources revealed that the drugs, sourced from Myanmar, were en route to Sri Lanka.
Chennai Police have recently arrested Nigerian Philip, believed to be the mastermind behind a cartel smuggling methamphetamine to Tamil Nadu and distributing it in smaller quantities.
The Arumbakkam police have so far arrested 12 individuals in connection with this case, including Philip.
Others arrested include Jeevan (39), Masthan (45), Jagadeesan (25), Satishkumar (33), Viswanathan (47), Deepakraj (24), Siddharth (25), Arul Kumar (28), Antony Raj (29), and Santhosh (27). Philip reportedly admitted to placing orders for meth and importing it from Nigeria via courier and air routes. Methamphetamine smuggling is highly profitable, with the drug costing Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,00,000 per kilogram in Manipur and selling for Rs 7 lakh in Chennai.
Methamphetamine is reportedly smuggled across the India-Myanmar border into Manipur and transported to Tamil Nadu via human carriers on trains. Moreh, a town in Manipur near the India-Myanmar border, has been identified as a key transit point. Links between Moreh and Chennai’s Red Hills area have also been established.
Data from the NCB’s Chennai zone shows a sharp increase in meth seizures destined for Sri Lanka: 12 kg in 2021, 66 kg in 2022, 81 kg in 2023, with 2024 figures yet to be disclosed.