Hyderabad:The city’s narcotics trade has reached alarming heights, with drugs valued at Rs 7.5 crore seized in a single day, signaling an escalating crisis as Hyderabad emerges as a central hub for heavy drugs and private party supplies.
Despite the continued efforts of the Telangana State Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TGNAB), Hyderabad Narcotic Enforcement Wing (HNU), Excise, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), and local law enforcement agencies to curb the flow, the growing sophistication of drug networks poses a significant challenge.
Interstate Links and Emerging Smuggling Routes: Recent investigations reveal that the drug operations in Hyderabad are part of a well-organised network with interstate and international ties. Sources indicate that smugglers have established drug production bases in Odisha specifically for hash oil, which is being distributed across India.
Along with ganja and hash oil from AOB (Andhra-Odisha Border), synthetic drugs such as cocaine, heroine, and Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) blotters are trafficked into the city from major hubs like Goa, Bangalore, Delhi, and Mumbai.
Technology and Party Season Fuel Demand Surge:Once primarily confined to pubs and rave parties, drugs now permeate the city’s social scene, with technology making it easier for dealers to reach buyers. As the winter and New Year season approaches, law enforcement is reporting a rise in activity, with interstate gangs and a surge of foreign nationals, including Nigerian drug networks, working to capitalize on the party season.
Nigerian Networks and Group Coordination:Nigerians dominate the synthetic drugs racket in Hyderabad, organising their operations through tightly-knit WhatsApp groups that streamline transactions. Bangalore serves as the central hub for their activities, with over 30 agents reportedly active in Hyderabad alone.
Additionally, organised groups from Rajasthan, Delhi, and Mumbai are also moving into the Hyderabad market. In a recent case, police arrested a Rajasthan-based dealer, Kishanram, in Chandanagar, uncovering a network of over 20 buyers across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.