52,000 tapentadol tablets seized, 2 held
Madurai: In a major crackdown on illegal sale of narcotic substances, SS Colony police seized around 52,000 tapentadol tablets and arrested two people. On intercepting them, officers found more than 100 tapentadol tablets concealed in the vehicle. Subsequent interrogation led police to a hideout in Vilachery, where more than 45,000 additional tablets were stashed in a bush-covered area. The tablets, numbering around 52,000, were being sold at about Rs 400 per tablet.
Police said the seizure was made during a routine vehicle check near Nehru Nagar on Madurai bypass road. DCP (South) A G Inigo Thivyan said the tablets had been procured through online platforms. Two people travelling on a two-wheeler were found suspicious. The arrested people, Sugandha Ganesh of Melur and Jayabharathi Raja of Arumuganeri in Tuticorin district, were remanded to judicial custody and lodged in Madurai Central Prison. Police are now investigating the supply chain and identifying those who purchased the substances from the accused.