Who is Jaffer Sadiq, film producer and ex-DMK member held for drug smuggling?

The Narcotics Control Bureau on Saturday (March 9) arrested Jaffer Sadiq, a former DMK functionary and a producer of Tamil films, in connection with a multi-crore drug-smuggling racket.

Sadiq was allegedly the kingpin of the drug smuggling syndicate that operated across multiple countries, including India, Australia, New Zealand, and Malaysia. He is accused of smuggling 3,500 kg of pseudoephedrine — the main ingredient used to make methamphetamine (meth or crystal meth), a highly addictive stimulant — overseas more than 45 times.

The syndicate sourced pseudoephedrine in India and smuggled it to countries like Australia, New Zealand, and Malaysia in the guise of food-grade cargo, NCB deputy director general (operations) Gyaneshwar Singh has been quoted by media reports as saying. The drug is a decongestant but since it can be used to make meth, it is a controlled substance in India.

A week before his arrest, meth worth Rs 180 crore, meant to be smuggled to Sri Lanka, was seized from two railway passengers and a dump yard in Tamil Nadu. Overall, Sadiq allegedly smuggled drugs worth Rs 2,000 crore.

Key points about Jaffer Sadiq

So, who is Jaffer Sadiq? Here are a few things to know about him:

• Jaffer Sadiq’s full name is Jaffer Sadiq Abdul Rehman. According to IMDb, he was born on December 24, 1988, in Perambur, Tamil Nadu.
• He is the founder of JSM Group of Companies, says his X bio.
• His JSM Pictures has produced at least four films, including Indra, Iraivan Miga Periyavan, Maayavalai, and Mangai. A fifth one — VR07 — is reportedly scheduled to be released later this month.
• The NCB is now trying to establish whether the film production company was a front to launder money earned through drug smuggling.
• The NCB reportedly believes that Mangai was entirely funded with drug money.
• Sadiq’s commission in the smuggling syndicate was reportedly Rs 1 lakh per kg.
• Not only films, Jaffer Sadiq allegedly invested drug money in several sectors, including construction and hospitality. For instance, he built a hotel in Chennai. He was in the real estate business even before he floated the production company.
• Jaffer Sadiq entered politics in 2010.
• He was the Chennai West deputy organiser of the DMK’s NRI wing, which still shows on his X bio.
• However, the DMK expelled him last month after his alleged involvement in drug smuggling came to light.