Chennai, Sep 6 (IANS): Tamil Nadu Police have started monitoring migrant workers after more than 10 of them were arrested for smuggling ganja into the state, sources said.

The sources from the state's Narcotics Control Bureau told IANS that after the police accelerated its crackdown against an interstate drug syndicate which used migrant workers from North India and the northeast for drug smuggling.

Police personnel in plain clothes are being deployed at all major railways station across Tamil Nadu and are monitoring migrants workers, especially the ones who arrive with big, heavy bags.

In the past three months,13 migrants workers were arrested.

The sources explained that the smuggled ganja was then exported out of the country from coastal areas of the state including Nagapattinam and Ramanathapuram.

The police also said there was an increase in smuggling activities through coastal towns in country boats to Sri Lanka.

Police are also in touch with agents who are bringing in migrant workers and are printing leaflets in their languages to make them aware on the dangers involved in smuggling of narcotics.