Narcotic substance seized; for held

About Rs five crore worth Pseudoephedrine, a narcotic substance, meant to be smuggled to Malaysia, has been seized and a four-member gang arrested in connection with the seizure near here, DRI said today.
On receiving information, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials examined a container loaded with cotton legging material meant to be exported to Malaysia and found Pseudoephedrine, a "controlled substance covered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985."
A total of 23.9 kg of pseudoephedrine, valued at Rs 4.78 crore, was found concealed in bales of cotton dyed fabric, ie. the legging material, the DRI said in a release.

Following another tip-off regarding operations of the gang suspected to be involved in the smuggling, DRI officials recovered about 10000 Alprazolam tablets, a scheduled H1 drug covered under the NDPS Act, packed in 33 packets, after intercepting a speed post consignment, it said.
Meanwhile, officers who were keeping surveillance on the gang, came to know that the mastermind and others behind the two incidents planned to escape from Chennai and "chased them and intercepted them" on a national highway at Chengalpattu near here today.
DRI identified the arrested as Syed Musafar Sadiq, allegedly the mastermind, SM Sirajudeen, Sathish and V Packiakumar.