MADURAI: Assistant Commissioner Mr. Vijayakumar of the marine preventive wing of the customs department in a raided hut at Trespuram in Thoothukudi seized 6 kg of heroin from two persons an arrested them on Wednesday. According to the AC, nothing suspicious or illegal materials were found in the hut. While inquiry it came that two persons had fled the hut with a consignment of contraband in a boat, the team immediately moved into the sea and intercepted the boat. On a subsequent check, the team found around six kg of heroin and caught two persons identified as Santhiyagu, a fisherman and Ashok Kumar, an M Phil student of a private college at Thoothukudi, on board, the AC said. Based on the information given by the duo, that heroin was handed over to them by one Rex Frenandez in Thoothukudi, Police raided his house and arrested him. Rex told the personnel that the consignment was meant to be smuggled out of India and four Sri Lankan fishermen would be waiting for the contraband at the international border. The Customs officials laid a trap and took Sathiyagu and Ashok Kumar to the international border in the sea and when the four Sri Lankan fishermen came close to the duo to receive the contraband, the Customs team hiding inside the boat rounded up and arrested the fishermen and all of them were later brought to the Thoothukudi coast, the customs officials said.]]>
