23.7.2008

The Q Branch of the Tamil Nadu police on Tuesday busted a major LTTE procurement network, seizing five imported Yamaha outboard motors, each with a 40-horse-power capacity, according to a web based Indian newspaper.

In connection with the seizures, three persons, including a Sri Lankan from Manalmelkudi in Pudukottai, were taken into custody.

The Q Branch team nabbed Kumargurubaran (28), a resident of Chennai, Ramesh (37), hailing from Ramanathapuram, and Manamohan (28) from Pesalai, Sri Lanka, from near the Kattumanadi bus stop near Manalmelkudi on Tuesday. The motors were meant to be transported to Sri Lanka for the LTTE in a boat kept ready by Ramesh.

"The gang had transported the motors from Chennai to Pudukkottai and was planning to take them by sea to Sri Lanka. We are yet to ascertain whose name the import consignment had been booked under and who collected it from the Chennai Port. There are more persons involved in the procurement of the motors and the investigation is on to find them," Times of India quoted a senior police official as saying.

Police said Manamohan was the key player in this procurement network, co-ordinating the operation. "He arranged for the payment and co-ordinated the procurement. The seized motors are worth around Rs. 7 lakh in the market," the official said.

These outboard motors are used to convert conventional boats into high speed boats. The Sea Tigers use them in their strike boats.

Ramesh, who is among those detained, has a history of cases against him relating to smuggling goods to Sri Lanka. "He was arrested on a few occasions earlier while attempting to smuggle goods to Sri Lanka. We are now checking the background of the other two accused," the official added.

With the increased vigil by the law enforcement agencies in Tamil Nadu to check smuggling of goods to LTTE from Tamil Nadu, nearly four to six cases are being detected every month as against one case a month or even one case every two months couple of years back.

"The smuggling for LTTE has been going on in Tamil Nadu. But, of late, we have been detecting more cases. However, LTTE is now more dependent on the supply from India as they are suffering huge losses from the war. They used to procure goods from South East Asia when they had their boats moving around without much trouble. Now that the Sri Lankan Navy has not only inflicted considerable damage on their fleet but has stepped up vigil on high seas, they are further constrained."

The LTTE has been procuring explosives, detonators, resin, boat parts, chopped coir mats for building boats, chemicals, clothes, adhesives, walkie-talkies, GPSs and mobile SIM cards from India.

"They procure these things from all over India and smuggle it via villages along the east coast. The smuggling cases are more in Tamil Nadu because of its geographical proximity. Apart from the procurement for LTTE, there is commercial smuggling also happening between Sri Lanka and India. It is mainly to make profit using the wide differences in pricing of some items in both countries. Smuggling of beedi bundles are mostly for commercial purposes," the official said.