NIA arrests a Sri Lankan arms and drugs trafficker in Vizhinjam arms case
New Delhi, September 9
The NIA arrested a Sei Lankan arms and drugs trafficker in Vizhinjam arms case where illegal arms and ammunition were recovered from a fishing boat in the Arabian sea.
The accused has been identified as Arasaratinam Ramesh alias A Ramesh from Ernakulam. He is a Sri Lankan national in connection.
The case was initially registered in April at Vizhinjam police station of district Thiruvanathapuram in Kerala relating to seizure of illegal arms and ammunition from arrested accused aboard Sri Lankan fishing boat Ravihansi in the Arabian Sea.
In this case, huge quantity of narcotic drugs was seized from Sri Lankan fishing boat in Arabian Sea on March 25 and 26.
The Kerala police had found that the accused had illegally possessed five AK-47 Rifles and 1000 Nos. of 9mm ammunition. The NIA had re-registered the case in May and taken over the investigation and subsequently arrested two accused in the case in August.
The NIA investigation has revealed that arrested accused is the brother of earlier arrested accused Suresh Raj and has been actively assisting him in the collection of arms, ammunition and drugs trafficking through international sea route. During search conducted at his rented premises in Ernakulam earlier, the NIA had seized incriminating documents relating to the transactions of drugs and arms.
The arrested accused was produced before the special court for NIA cases, Ernakulam and sent to judicial custody.
