In a major breakthrough, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) apprehended former DMK NRI Wing office bearer and Tamil film producer Jaffer Sadiq in connection with an expansive international drug trafficking network on 9 March 2024. The arrest sheds light on Sadiq’s alleged involvement in the illicit drug trade, as well as his use of drug proceeds to invest in various industries, including films, construction, and hospitality, as a means to conceal his criminal activities.
#JafferSadiq under the custody of @narcoticsbureau #DMK #Tamilnadu https://t.co/AW1uDUaHiP pic.twitter.com/pM6yjv3kme
— Saikiran Kannan | 赛基兰坎南 (@saikirankannan) March 9, 2024
NCB Deputy Director General Gyaneshwar Singh, during a press conference, revealed the extent of Jaffer Sadiq’s operations. According to Singh, the drug racket orchestrated by Sadiq spanned across India, reaching locations such as New Delhi and Tamil Nadu, and extended internationally to New Zealand, Australia, and Malaysia.
“Jaffer Sadiq, who was running the international drug trafficking network, his drug racket spread from New Delhi, Tamil Nadu, and other places in India to New Zealand, Australia, and Malaysia,” he stated.
The arrest comes after the NCB seized a significant amount of pseudoephedrine, totaling 50kg, in the national capital. Pseudoephedrine is a key ingredient in the production of methamphetamine, a highly sought-after illicit substance. The discovery of the drug haul prompted a targeted investigation into Jaffer Sadiq’s alleged involvement in the drug trade and money laundering.
“He has sent 3,500 kg pseudoephedrine in 45 parcels to Australia,” said Gyaneshwar Singh, NCB Deputy Director General. Pseudoephedrine was sent abroad concealed in coconuts and dry fruits. It is used in the production of methamphetamine, or crystal meth, and is a controlled substance in India,” stated Singh.
Sadiq managed to evade authorities, making his way to Jaipur through a route that included Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai, Pune, and Hyderabad, according to the NCB official.
According to Singh, Jaffer Sadiq accumulated substantial wealth through drug trafficking and strategically invested it across multiple industries. Film production, construction, and hospitality were identified as sectors where the accused utilized the proceeds to create a facade for his criminal operations. Singh said, “The Tamil film Mangai is fully funded through drug money, he also invested drug money in real estate, and he built a hotel using drug money. Partners and renowned personalities of the Tamil film industry are also known to be associated with him in film production. Link and penetration into the film industry are under probe. Links with producers and financers in Mumbai are also being probed.”
Every link is identified and nobody will be spared.. NCB pic.twitter.com/SPVBAGkZsD
— Vishwatma 🇮🇳 ( மோடியின் குடும்பம் ) (@HLKodo) March 9, 2024
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.
“Based on specific intelligence, today Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has successfully arrested Jaffer Sadiq,” the NCB official stated. Authorities in India are actively collaborating with their counterparts in New Zealand and Australia to dismantle the transnational drug trafficking network allegedly orchestrated by Jaffer Sadiq.
#WATCH | Delhi: Deputy Director General NCB Gyaneshwar Singh says, "Jaffer Sadiq, who was running the international drug trafficking network, his drug racket spread from New Delhi, Tamil Nadu and other places in India to New Zealand, Australia and Malaysia. The accused earned a… pic.twitter.com/a42cQqgLAi
— ANI (@ANI) March 9, 2024
As the investigation unfolds, questions surrounding Jaffer Sadiq’s links and penetration into the film industry, along with alleged connections to producers and financiers in Mumbai, are set to be probed.
Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.