Police dragnet snares 28 drug peddlers
Most of them used the dark net to buy and sell drugs using bitcoins
BENGALURU:
In a major breatkthrough, the Bengaluru police have busted a racket of purchasing synthetic narcotics over the dark net and have arrested 28 drug peddlers and recovered Rs 1.57 crore worth drugs
As part of its ongoing drive, the East division police seized Rs 90 lakh worth of narcotics, including 1,100 LSD strips, 980 MDMA Ecstasy tablets, 450 grams MDMA crystal, 25 grams brown sugar, 500 ml weed oil and 48 kg ganja. The police said the dark net was used as a tool for purchase and sale of the drugs.
City police commissioner Kamal Pant at a presser on Monday said, “The East division police, based on credible information, conducted special operations and arrested 11 notorious narcotic drug peddlers and seized Rs 90 lakh worth of narcotics.”
From BCA to peddler
The Halasur police arrested Keval M Lohith, a BCA graduate who participated in rave parties in Bengaluru and Goa and started consuming drugs. Later on, to meet his growing expenses, he ‘elevated’ himself to drug peddler. He used his contacts with African drug peddlers to purchase synthetic drugs and then started to get drugs independently through the dark net using bitcoins. He used his associates as delivery boys to supply the drugs to party-goers.
Promos to pills
Mohammed Hifzulla @ MD discontinued his B Com studies and worked as an office boy in Matchless Promos, owned by Vaibhav Ali @ Vaibhav Jain. He started selling products for Rs 200 on the roadside. From there, he established his own event organizing company named Fusion Entertainment and started organizing events and parties. He would supply drugs at these parties and also to school students and college students. He had contacts with African drug peddlers from whom he used to purchase cocaine, weed oil and other narcotic substances, apart from procuring drugs through the dark net using bitcoins.
Learning from ‘peers’
Mohamed Hifzulla learned to purchase LSD (Stamps/Stickers/Papers), MDMA tablets (Pills), cocaine (Charlie) and other narcotic substances from international drug peddlers through the dark net using code words and sold them at parties and to students with the help of associates.
‘Delivery’ boys
Aziz Niyaz was a Rapido boy and Guru Prasad a Dunzo delivery boy who were getting Rs 40 per delivery. When they came in contact with peddlers Keval Lohith and MD@Hifzulla, they were offered Rs 500 per delivery of narcotics.
Peddler cum rowdy
Mohamed Irfan, a drug abuser who is also involved in two attempt to murder cases, elevated himself to a full-time drug peddler to fund his lavish lifestyle. Mohammed Irfan used to go to Mumbai and AP to get drugs and would sell them at parties and to students. He also supplied drugs to Kerala clients.
‘Dedicated’ flat
Mohamed Irfan had a separate flat for his illegal activities. Rs 23 lakh worth narcotics — 450 grams of MDMA crystal/rock, 25 grams of brown sugar and 2 kg ganja were seized from him.
Ganja seized from home
The Banaswadi police nabbed Shaik Mohamed Yaseen, who used to bring ganja (Boom) from Hyderabad and make small packets in his home to sell near schools and colleges. 19 kg of ganja worth Rs. 5.7 lakh was seized from his home.
Couriered drugs
The DJ Halli police arrested Dilip Kumar from Andhra Pradesh, who had come to Bengaluru in search of a job. He started supplying ganja through couriers. 16 kg of ganja worth Rs. 4.8 lakh was seized from him.
The Ramamurthy Nagar police nabbed Ram Babu from Andhra Pradesh, and Mohan Raj from Mulbagal, Kolar, who used to get ganja from Andhra Pradesh and sell it near K R Puram railway station. 10 kg of ganja worth Rs 3 lakh was seized from them.
The Bharati Nagar, KG Halli and Hennur police have also registered several cases against drug peddlers and abusers. So far in the East division, 294 cases have been registered against 320 persons under the NPDS Act.
S. Murugan, Additional Commissioner (East) appreciated the outstanding work of the police. City police commissioner Kamal Pant issued appreciation letters and gave a cash prize of Rs 50,000 to the police personnel of the East division.
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