Seven held for silver heist worth Rs 9 cr from Adani Port in Chennai

CHENNAI: The Avadi City Police have arrested a seven-member gang in connection with the heist of Rs 9 crore worth silver bars from two containers at the Adani Kattupalli Port near Ennore 10 days ago. The containers had reached Chennai from London on March 30.

The logistics firm, which had imported the silver bars, found that the container seals were tampered with after taking the containers to their warehouse near Sriperumbudur on April 3. It also found that around 900 kg of silver was stolen after which the Kattur Police registered a case and began investigations.

The firm, which imported the silver bars, is a secure logistics provider to banks and financial institutions, police said. Around 600 kg of silver bars were recovered from the arrested persons. Since it was evident that the containers were tampered with while in the container yard, a police probe pointed towards an insider role.

Police examined CCTV footage in the time period since the container reached the port and was transported to the warehouse and conducted enquiries with port staff, security personnel and other workers in the yard. After investigations, seven people were arrested. Akash (24) who works as a supervisor in the port, Ebenesar (46), another supervisor, Naveen Kumar (25), a truck driver doing regular trips to the port and four of their accomplices – Desingh (55), Gunaseelan (29) - residents of Kottaikuppam, Santosh (28) of Ernavoor and Venkatesh (39) of Nandiyambakkam – were arrested.

On Saturday, they were produced before the magistrate and remanded to judicial custody. Further investigations are underway to find the other accomplices. The top brass of the Avadi City police appreciated the Red Hills district police team which ensured swift arrests in the case.