Beedi leaves, fibreglass boat seized

The Q Branch police have arrested two persons and seized ₹50 lakh-worth beedi leaves even as it was about to be smuggled to SriLanka by boat on Monday night.

When the Q Branch police team, led by Inspector Vijaya Anitha, raided the beach near Vivekananda Colony area near Thalamuthu Nagar on Monday night following tip-off, they spotted a fibreglass boat with double outboard engine ready for sailing. As four persons who had parked a mini cargo vehicle near the boat were unloading bundles from the vehicle to be loaded in the boat, the police team surrounded them.

When two of them managed to escape in the mini cargo vehicle, remaining two – J. Samsudeen and Murugan of Terespuram – were nabbed.

The police also seized ₹50 lakh-worth 1,020 kg beedi leaves, a bike and the fibreglass boat.