News Tamil Nadu

Dravidianwood Breaking Bad: DMK-Supporting Dravidianist Director Ameer’s Links With Now-Expelled DMK Man Caught In ₹2000 Crore Drug Bust; Who Is The Heisenberg?

February 27, 2024
The Commune

In India, Punjab stands out as a drug hotspot due to its border with Pakistan, known for engaging in drug smuggling. However, in the last three years, there has been a surge in the supply of synthetic drugs in Chennai with some of the most significant drug seizures. Drug trafficking serves both international and domestic demands. It is alleged that politicians might be implicated in this extensive drug smuggling network. The primary factor linking politicians to this scandal is the notable rise of Chennai as a drug hotspot in the three years since the DMK came to power.

Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) is actively pursuing AR Jaffer Sadiq, a Tamil film producer, and DMK NRI wing office-bearer, suspected to be the kingpin in a multinational drug cartel.

The investigation stems from the arrest of three individuals in Tamil Nadu, revealing the dispatch of 45 pseudoephedrine shipments valued at over ₹2,000 crore in the past three years. The NCB seeks Sadiq to trace the origin of pseudoephedrine, a precursor for making methamphetamine. The DMK swiftly dismissed Sadiq after the revelation. Pseudoephedrine, a controlled substance in India, holds global demand and sells for approximately ₹1.5 crore per kg in Australia and New Zealand. 

Lately, there has been a trend of exporting powdered forms of fruits and vegetables to nations like Australia and New Zealand. Concealed within these seemingly innocuous “powders,” Pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient for methamphetamine narcotics production, is falsely labeled as a natural substance and exported.

This illicit activity has been ongoing for the last three years according to reports. Law enforcement has pinpointed significant shipments, each purportedly weighing between 50 to 100 kilograms, that have been exported.

In April 2023, Abu Bahad was apprehended in Ramanathapuram, employing a similar modus operandi to smuggle drugs, disguising them as medicines and chemicals destined for Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, and other locations. Following his arrest, there are indications that the nature of this illicit activity underwent a transformation.

The revelation of a significant drug seizure linked to Tamil film producer Jaffer Sadiq has stirred considerable concern within the state. Currently evading authorities, Sadiq’s affiliations with the DMK’s first family and his membership in the party are now subjects of investigation.

Who Is Jaffer Sadiq? Are His Companies Real Or A Facade For Drug Trafficking?

Delving into the now-expelled DMK functionary Jaffer Sadiq’s background reveals a network of his family’s involvement in diverse businesses. Notably, two companies, Zoya Deliveries LLP and Rush Deliveries LLP, registered in 2021, are engaged in “delivery services” throughout Chennai. 

Additionally, there are two tour and travel agencies facilitating the movement of goods. The ventures extend to the seafood industry, with JSM Sea Foods India Pvt Ltd, alongside the establishment of restaurants and a peculiarly named pharmaceutical company, J Square.

It is noteworthy that the delivery companies, the production house, and the seafood company were incorporated in 2021, the year the DMK came to power. Rush Deliveries LLP and JSM Sea Foods India Pvt Ltd were established in July 2021 and September 2021 respectively.

This comprehensive array of enterprises paints a detailed picture of the interconnected network surrounding Jaffer Sadiq.

This intricate network is suspected to have orchestrated shipments worth ₹2000-2500 crores exclusively to Australia over the past three years. The extent of movement within India or to other nations remains unclear. Overall, the comprehensive scandal is estimated to involve approximately ₹12000-15000 crores worth of drug trafficking.

This is how this network is suspected to be working – For the transportation of drugs, they utilize their proprietary delivery company. To facilitate the bulk movement of drugs, they employ their tours and travels with the drugs transported under the guise of either medicines or food items.

Jaffer’s Connection With Ameer And Dravidianwood

Director Ameer and Jaffer Sadiq launched a coffee shop named 4AMCoffee and Kitchen under the Mahyan Pvt Ltd incorporation at ECR near Chennai. The managing director of this organisation, Abdul Basith, is also a director of Zuko Overseas Pvt Ltd along with Jaffer Sadiq. Interestingly, Ameer Sulthan aka director Ameer is also a director of Zuko Overseas Pvt Ltd. 

For the launch of the coffee shop, director Vetrimaran and actor Soori were present. Another coffee shop named Law Cafe was opened at Radhakrishnan Salai under the Mahyan Group of Companies banner run by Ameer and Sadiq.

Just like how Heisenberg in Breaking Bad produces methamphetamine at the basement of a laundry and launders the ill-gotten money through a car wash garage, it is suspected that Jaffer Sadiq seems to have used his “food production” and “delivery” business for producing and moving drugs while laundering the ill-gotten money by producing films and cafes. Only a thorough investigation will reveal the modus operandi.

Upon receiving the news of the drug haul, Ameer seems to have washed his hands off Jaffer Sadiq as he published a press release claiming ignorance. 

 

Actor Vijay Sethupathi was the chief guest at the launch of Law Cafe coffee shop. In this video, you can see Ameer, Sadiq and Sethupathi. Other people from the industry who can be seen in the video include rabid Dravidianist director Karu Palaniappan.

Ameer, Vetrimaran, and Jaffer Sadiq have been photographed frequently establishing the closeness of directors in the Tamil film industry with so-called producers. 

Some of the films that Jaffer Sadiq has produced include Ameer’s Iraivan Miga Periyavan, Mangai, and Indira. These films were produced under the JSM Pictures banner. Interestingly, Sadiq’s X handle’s cover pic has 4 posters – the three mentioned above and a film named Maayavalai which is produced by Ameer’s own production house and co-produced by Vetrimaran’s Grass Root Film along with Jaffer Sadiq. This establishes their thick friendship more than ever.

It is noteworthy that DMK Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s wife Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi was the chief guest at the launch of a single from the film Mangai.

Jaffer Sadiq has also been seen with other film personalities frequently along with Ameer.

With Yuvan Shankar Raja

 

With Karu Palaniappan at Iraivan Miga Periyavan Press Meet

 

With Vetrimaran at Iraivan Miga Periyavan Press Meet

All the three individuals seen above – Yuvan Shankar Raja, Karu Palaniappan and Vetrimaaran have peddled propaganda in favour of the DMK at various times.

Karu Palaniappan, who hosts the show Tamizha Tamizha and supposedly provided inputs for Udhayanidhi Stalin’s “Eradicate Sanatana Dharma” speech, is also vying to get a ticket for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 according to political commentator ‘Savukku’ Shankar.

Ameer and Sadiq have been seen frequently with the Chief Minister MK Stalin. 

While Ameer has attempted to distance himself from Jaffer Sadiq trying to portray as no more than a director-producer relationship, it is evident from the above instances as to how thick as thieves both Ameer and Jaffer Sadiq are.

How The First Family Is Reacting

DMK’s crown prince Udhayanidhi Stalin, previously photographed alongside Sadiq contributing to the CM relief fund, has been silently removing social media posts associated with Sadiq. Following the rapid dissemination of the news of the cartel, the party leadership issued a statement within hours, officially dismissing him. 

Ironically, Kiruthiga, who passionately shares thoughts on spirituality and values on social media, had released the single of the film produced by Sadiq. Notably, Red Giant Movies is headed by her husband Udhayanidhi Stalin, albeit not on paper anymore.

Mangai film produced by Sadiq
Ameer seen with Sadiq for Mangai film promo

Dravidianist Mindset Of Vetrimaaran & Ameer

It is a known fact that Kollywood or rather Dravidianwood as the name suggests peddles the Dravidianist propaganda through films. Vetrimaran and Ameer, part of the industry, play a major role in enabling that. Here is an example of Ameer’s opinion on Ram mandir. In an interview about the Ram mandir, he says, “Rama is not even a God in Tamil Nadu. How many temples of Rama are there? I am also from TN – do we have as many temples like Murugan, Mariyamman for Rama? Tamils never celebrated Rama Navami like they celebrated Vinayaka Chathurthi or Thai Poosam. It is not a part of our culture. Nobody asked for Ram Mandir not to be built, we only asked to not destroy a masjid and construct a temple on that site. Still, they did it. Nobody got angry also for this (hinting at tolerance).”

Vetrimaran also does his bit to whitewash Dravidianist crimes. For example, as a known supporter of the DMK, in his movie ‘Asuran’, a movie based on Keezhvenmani incident, Vetrimaran attempted to project that members of the Dravidar Kazhagam were with the Dalits during the massacre, when the truth is quite different.

Another instance where he showed his loyalty to the DMK government was just days after the victory of the DMK in the Tamil Nadu assembly elections, a section of ’eminent personalities’ and various organisations in the state wrote to the then Chief Minister-designate M K Stalin requesting to withdraw the permission for the reopening of the Vedanta copper unit and to scrap the Chennai-Salem eight-lane expressway project. Among those who wrote the letter were director Vetrimaran, actor Vijay Sethupathi, and former Madras High Court judge (retd) D Hariparanthaman. All of them also asked the DMK chief to cancel the Adani port expansion at Kattupalli, the Kanniyakumari International Container Terminal, and the Chittoor-Thachur 6-lane expressway. Interesting to note that Vijay Sethupathi’s name (who was seen at the opening of Ameer’s Law Cafe features here too.

(with inputs from Maridhas)

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