Chennai, Jul 20 (IANS): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is conducting searches at a special camp in Tiruchi where Sri Lankans involved in criminal activities are lodged.

The accused in the Vizhinjam drug smuggling case are also lodged in this camp.

Sources told IANS that during the raids at the Tiruchi special camp, the sleuths got information on certain activities in some places in Chennai and searches are being conducted at these places. The NIA has deployed paramilitary forces for security at Tiruchi and other places where they are carrying out the raids.

Notably, the Special Camp at Tiruchi is monitored by the Tamil Nadu revenue department and has several inmates who were arrested following criminal activities in India and in Indian seas. Many of them used to resort to protests for their immediate release by dispensing off the cases against them at the earliest.

The NIA has been tracking the antecedents of certain people involved in the smuggling of drugs and their international networks. IANS had reported earlier that the drug peddlers who were arrested have been trying to revive the now defunct LTTE and the drug and arms were smuggled to raise funds for the same.

Former Intelligence operative of LTTE Sankutam, alias Sabesan, has led the operations in the country including the drug smuggling route to raise the funds.

Sources told IANS that the searches are conducted at many places in Chennai after some documents were seized during the searches at Tiruchi.