DRI seizes 137 kg of crystal meth worth over Rs 100 crore in Tamil Nadu, busts Sri Lanka smuggling route

DRI seizes 137 kg of crystal meth worth over Rs 100 crore in Tamil Nadu. Four arrested

October 18, 2026

One of the biggest drug hauls on Tamil Nadu’s coast in recent years

The consignment was allegedly meant to be transferred to a boat in mid-sea and taken to Sri Lanka

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized 137 kg of crystal methamphetamine, valued at more than Rs 100 crore in the illegal drug market, in Tamil Nadu’s Nagapattinam district. Four people have been arrested, and officials say the haul points to a coastal network that was allegedly planning to send the drugs to Sri Lanka by sea.

The operation

The Ministry of Finance said on Sunday that the operation took place on October 16 and 17, based on specific intelligence. The tip-off was that a large consignment had been brought to a coastal village in Nagapattinam, where it was to be stored before being passed on to a boat in mid-sea and carried to Sri Lanka.

During the search, DRI officers found six duffel bags holding 27 silver-foil packets, each weighing around 5 kg. The packets contained a white crystalline substance suspected to be high-purity methamphetamine. The consignment, 137 kg in gross weight, was seized under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.

Cash and vehicles seized

In a simultaneous search at the home of the suspected organiser, officers recovered Rs 10 lakh in cash, believed to be proceeds from drug sales. Two four-wheelers and a two-wheeler allegedly used to move the narcotics were also seized.

Arrests

Four people have been arrested and remanded to judicial custody. According to the Ministry, the investigation found a network of individuals allegedly responsible for organising the coastal export, transport, storage and logistics of the consignment.

A major haul on the coast

The seizure is among the biggest narcotics recoveries in Tamil Nadu’s coastal region in recent years. The DRI said it has taken a significant quantity of suspected contraband out of circulation and disrupted the network behind its movement. The agency added that it will continue to focus on intelligence-led action against organised drug trafficking, particularly networks that use coastal locations and sea transfers.

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