Nagapattinam, September 4 (Daily Kiran) : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has launched a significant operation against drug trafficking in Tamil Nadu. On September 3, 2026, the ED’s Madurai sub-zonal office executed simultaneous searches at six locations in Nagapattinam district. This action is part of an investigation into money laundering related to the trafficking of substances such as methamphetamine and marijuana, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) of 2002.
The inquiry was initiated based on a complaint from the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Chennai. The NCB had filed a case in a special court regarding the illegal trafficking of methamphetamine and marijuana.
The primary suspect in this case is M. Alex, a resident of Vilundamavadi in Nagapattinam. He was apprehended on April 13, 2025, near Melavilakudi on the Pudukkottai-Madurai Road while in possession of methamphetamine hydrochloride. Further investigations revealed that Alex has a history of drug-related offenses, with multiple FIRs filed against him and his father, Mahalingam, by Tamil Nadu police in 2023 and 2024.
The ED’s investigation uncovered that Alex had amassed millions through drug trafficking, using the illicit funds to acquire various assets. These include shrimp farms, expensive land, and vehicles in Nagapattinam, Velankanni, and Thaliyamadi, all registered under his and his family members’ names.
To launder the illegal proceeds, Alex devised an elaborate scheme. The investigation found that the drug profits were funneled through the bank accounts of family members and third parties, a process known as layering. Loans were taken out in the names of family and associates, which were then repaid in cash using drug money. Additionally, funds were routed through several fraudulent entities.
During the raids, the ED seized crucial evidence, including digital devices and documents related to financial transactions and investments in land and shrimp farms made by the accused.
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