Q-Branch arrests 3 in iron balls smuggling case

Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, Mar 8 (UNI) As part of its efforts to crack down the gang which attempted to smuggle iron balls, meant for arms manufacturing, and Hawala money to Sri Lanka, the Tamil Nadu Q-Branch police have arrested three more persons, including two Sri Lankan nationals from Chennai.

Q-Branch police here today said the Chennai office of Q-Branch conducted an operation in the city last night and arrested three persons, S Pratheeban alias Thillai (29), N Bageetharan alias Eelavan (27) both hailing from Jaffna in Sri Lanka and S Barakath (63), a native of Mannadi in Chennai.

The investigations had revealed that through the Hawala transactions, Barakath had given to Pratheeban and Bageetharan, an amount of Rs ten lakh which was to be handed over to another Sri Lankan National Sathish, who is said to be currently in Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, Pratheeban and Bageetharan gave the cash to one Rahul, hailing from Mannar in Sri Lanka, who later handed it over to one Arulseelan, a resident of Dheeran Nagar in Tiruchirapalli for safe custody.

However, Arulseelan was arrested by Q-Branch police a couple of days ago and on interrogation revealed the whole episode, police added.

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