Thoothukudi, March 6 -- Q Branch Police seized 44 bundles of beedi leaves worth approximately Rs.40 lakh near Thermal Nagar beach in Thoothukudi during the early hours of Friday, police said.

Police personnel conducted a patrol operation based on a secret tip-off received by Q Branch Inspector Vijay Anitha that beedi leaves were being smuggled to Sri Lanka from an area under the Thermal Nagar Police Station limits in Thoothukudi city subdivision of Thoothukudi district.

Following the information, Assistant Inspector Ramachandran, Special Assistant Inspector Ramar, Head Constables Irudhayarajkumar and Isakkimuthu, along with Constables Palani, Balamurugan and Pechi Raja, carried out the patrol duty in the area, according to a release.

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