TN-Kerala plan to combat smuggling

By Our Staff Reporter

NAGERCOIL, MAY 20. In a major initiative, the Kerala and Tamil Nadu police have planned to evolve a common strategy to effectively tackle the transborder smuggling activities.

The strategy aims at totally curbing clandestine movement of vehicles carrying rice, sand or illicit arrack in the border areas. Also on cards was the free exchange of information as and when required between the senior officials of at the Thiruvanan- thapuram and Tirunelveli ranges. Under active consideration is the establishment of a direct computer link at the DIG level for quicker transmission of particulars regarding the criminals on the run.

The issue of forest-related offences is also likely to be taken up at an appropriate forum. It is argued that a liberal exchange of information on the suspected whereabouts of accused wanted by both sides in criminal and related offences could help in apprehending them. Secondly, it would be very useful in serving the nonbailable warrants to those said to have migrated to either Thiruvananthapuram from here or merely came over to Kanyakumari district after committing crimes. Another problem confronting the police is the inability to seize the vehicles involved in smuggling activities as they would be plying freely in the other State. In order to overcome this handicap, it has been decided that both the district police and their counterparts in Thiruvananthapuram would collaborate together in not only exchanging the registration numbers of the vehicles suspected to be involved in the smuggling of sand, rice or transportation of illicit arrack but also seize and hand them over to the other side.

Another area of concentration is the total eradication of illicit arrack distilling in the Western Ghat region.

The joint raids would help for the complete elimination of the menace besides preventing the bootleggers from escaping into the forest. The joint operation would also enable the curbing of forest- related offences, especially poaching and timber smuggling.

The circulation of counterfeit currency notes among the people of Thiruvananthapuram and Kanyakumari is another area where the police are likely to initiate coordinated measures to nab the racketeers after establishing a possible link between the gangs involved. While at the range level both Mr. T. K. Rajendran, DIG of Tirunelveli range and Mr. Vinson M. Paul, DIG of Thiruvananthapuram, would constantly keep in touch, at the district level the Superintendents - Messrs. K. Vanniyaperumal (Kanyakumari) and K. O. Mathews (Thiruvananthapuram rural) - would hold frequent meetings to sort out operational problems.

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Section  : Southern States
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