Indian Coast Guard officials captured three Sri Lankan citizens who tried to enter Tamil Nadu through illegal sea routes early Saturday morning. The arrest happened near Dhanushkodi, a coastal area known for smuggling activities because it sits close to Sri Lanka. Coast Guard teams received a tip about the planned crossing and sent hovercraft patrols to watch the sandy areas between both countries. Officers found the three men stranded on a sand ridge at 4 AM after they had traveled for several hours. The suspects gave their names as Sumith Rolan Fernando, Sahara Gunathilaga and Kabilan to authorities.
The three men had paid 200,000 rupees to smugglers and left Pechalai district at 9 PM Friday night. They planned to use Tamil Nadu as a stepping stone to reach European countries for permanent settlement. All three suspects have criminal records connected to drug trafficking operations. Kabilan faces current drug charges and remains free on bail from previous court appearances. The two other men also have ties to drug networks according to police sources.
Coast Guard forces had made similar arrests before when they caught Immanuel Mushab and Ajithan attempting the same illegal border crossing. Both previous suspects also had criminal backgrounds related to drug crimes. Officers transferred all three new arrestees to State Marine Police at Mandapam station for detailed questioning. The Coast Guard plans to continue strong patrols along vulnerable coastal areas. Security teams focus extra attention on spots where illegal crossings happen most often.
The three men had paid 200,000 rupees to smugglers and left Pechalai district at 9 PM Friday night. They planned to use Tamil Nadu as a stepping stone to reach European countries for permanent settlement. All three suspects have criminal records connected to drug trafficking operations. Kabilan faces current drug charges and remains free on bail from previous court appearances. The two other men also have ties to drug networks according to police sources.
Coast Guard forces had made similar arrests before when they caught Immanuel Mushab and Ajithan attempting the same illegal border crossing. Both previous suspects also had criminal backgrounds related to drug crimes. Officers transferred all three new arrestees to State Marine Police at Mandapam station for detailed questioning. The Coast Guard plans to continue strong patrols along vulnerable coastal areas. Security teams focus extra attention on spots where illegal crossings happen most often.
