Investigators alleged that local man John Britto masterminded the syndicate and used fishermen and boat owners to transport narcotics via sea routes through the Gulf of Mannar.

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday conducted searches at multiple locations in Chennai and Madurai as part of a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged syndicate that smuggled drugs from India to Sri Lanka via sea route, officials said.

The money laundering case stems from two cases filed by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence in 2024 against a local man named John Britto and some others.

Hashish and methamphetamine seizures under scanner

In the first instance, the DRI (Madurai) had seized 99 kg of hashish (worth about Rs 108 crore) from a fishing boat in March 2024 in the Gulf of Mannar in which three persons — Ramish, Jansan and Prathap — were allegedly smuggling the contraband to Sri Lanka on the instructions of Britto, the ED alleged.

In the second case, 37.64 kg of methamphetamine (worth about Rs 150 crore) was recovered in March 2024 by the DRI at Madurai railway station from the possession of a person named P Prakash.

This drug consignment was suspected to be smuggled to Sri Lanka, the agency said.

ED alleges Britto was mastermind of syndicate

Britto, the ED claimed, was the “mastermind” of this syndicate and is a “habitual offender”.

Officials said Britto and his associates involved fishermen and boat owners for transporting the drugs from Indian waters to Sri Lanka.

Published on May 26, 2026