The Tamil Nadu-based film producer who is wanted in a Rs 2,000 drug racket has been identified as Jaffer Sadiq. According to the Narcotics Control Bureau, he operated the racket for three years. Based on the inputs provided by the authorities from Australia and New Zealand, the Indian agencies busted the racket and recovered large quantities of pseudoephedrine, which is a crucial component in methamphetamine generally known by its street names meth, ice, poor man’s cocaine, speed, glass, crystal trash, and more.
Meth is a highly addictive drug that increases heart rate and blood pressure. It can cause anxiety, paranoia and other side effects. High doses of the drug may lead to convulsions, stroke, cardiovascular collapse and death. The drug sells at around Rs 1.5 crores per kg in countries like New Zealand and Australia.
Who is Jaffer Sadiq?
Jaffer Sadiq is a Tamil Nadu-based film producer who has produced a film called Mangai under the banner of JSM Pictures. The film’s song was released by the wife of the Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development, Special Act Implementation Department of Tamil Nadu, Udhayanidhi Stalin, Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi. Notably, on 17th December 2023, Sadiq and actor/director Ameer met Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin. They donated Rs 10 lakh towards the Chief Minister’s relief fund on the sidelines of the Michaung cyclone. Sadiq donated another two lakhs to Udhayanidhi Stalin for the CM Relief Fund.
In a post on social media, Udhayanidhi acknowledged the donation, which has now been deleted. In the post, Udhayanidhi wrote, “In all areas affected by heavy rains, rescue work and relief assistance are being provided systematically. To join hands with the government in this work, the district deputy organizer of the Chennai West district neighbourhood team, brother A.R. Zafar Sadiq, handed over a check of Rs.2 lakh to us today for the “Chief Minister’s General Relief Fund”. My love and gratitude to him. @nchitrarasu”.
In his bio on X, Sadiq claimed to be part of the DMK NRI Wing. Furthermore, he was seen with several politicians linked to DMK.
His photographs were shared by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Tamil Nadu chief, K Annamalai, on social media. He wrote, “In Delhi, a gang trying to smuggle drugs worth around Rs 2,000 crore has been arrested by the Anti-Narcotics Unit. In the investigation, it has been revealed that these people are from Tamil Nadu, and the leader of this gang is Zafar Sadiq, deputy organizer of DMK’s Chennai West district team, and his brother, Central Chennai Regional Deputy Secretary of the Liberation Tigers of India, Mohammad Salim and Mydeen are his assistants. It has come to light that they may have sent around 3,500 kg of narcotics abroad 45 times in the last three years and have earned thousands of crores of rupees from them.
Zafar Sadiq, Deputy Organizer of DMK’s Chennai West District Team, whom Narcotics Control Unit officials want, has used this money to produce Tamil films and the photos of Tamil Nadu Government’s relief fund to Chief Minister Stalin and Minister Udhayanidhi of lakhs of money received from drug trafficking. Pictures of him with Shekharbabu and photos of another wanted person, Central Chennai Regional Deputy Secretary of the Liberation Tigers of India, Mohammad Salim, who has given party funds to Vishika leader Thirumavalavan, have surfaced on social media. Photos of her in close contact with many directors and actors in the Tamil film industry have surfaced. Ever since the DMK came to power, the DMK government has repeatedly urged the government to take strict action on behalf of BJP4Tamilnadu that there is a lot of drug traffic in Tamil Nadu, the influence of drugs has spread even to school students, and the media reports that drugs are widely available in Tamil Nadu. Nothing seems to have been taken. At present, the fact that one person who is in a critical position in the DMK has been involved in drug smuggling from Chennai for all these years has raised serious doubts. To avoid further strengthening of these suspicions and bearing in mind that drug trafficking is a war waged on our country, I request on behalf of BJP4Tamilnadu that the Tamil Nadu government immediately identify all those involved in drug trafficking and take strict action.”
Drug racket busted in Delhi
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Delhi busted a sprawling drug trafficking network on 15th February. The NCB officials shared this information on Saturday (24th February). The operation, led by NCB officials in conjunction with the Delhi Police Special Cell, culminated in the arrest of three individuals hailing from Tamil Nadu and the seizure of 50 kilograms of pseudoephedrine, a key chemical used in the production of methamphetamine. A Tamil film producer is reportedly the mastermind of the racket and is currently absconding.
During interrogation, the three arrested individuals disclosed that they had orchestrated a total of 45 consignments over the past three years, collectively amounting to approximately 3,500 kilograms of pseudoephedrine. These shipments, valued at over Rs 2,000 crore in the international market, underscored the scale of the operation and the substantial profits involved in the illicit trade. They also had planned to conceal pseudoephedrine within seemingly innocuous food products. Furthermore, the interrogation unveiled the transnational reach of the drug trafficking network, spanning across India, New Zealand, Australia, and Malaysia.