Bengaluru: In a joint operation, the Central Crime Branch (CCB), Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Bengaluru police arrested nine alleged drug peddlers on Monday. The officials have seized 660 Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) papers, 386 grams Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), 10 grams cocaine powder and unaccounted cash worth Rs 90 lakh.
Twelve mobile phones, three laptops and two bikes have also been seized from the possession of the peddlers. The accused have been identified as Sarthak Arya, Nitin, Karthik Gowda, Zumanaman, Mohammed Ali, Amal Baiju, Phoenix Shon, Palandu and Sunny.
Acting on a tip-off, police officers, NCB and CCB sleuths carried a massive search operation in areas of HSR Layout, Vijayanagar, Mahalaxmi Puram, Ulsoor, KG Village Indira Nagar, AHL and Ramamurthy Nagar Police Station.
The crackdown comes days after Bengaluru made several arrests in the sandalwood drug mafia case. In a ten-day-long on-going operation, the police and NCB sleuths have nabbed the alleged drug peddlers who were involved in importing various varieties of drugs.
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Addressing a press conference, Kamal Panth, City Police Commissioner, said, "These peddlers have been booked for dealing in a variety of contrabands through the darknet technology. Drugs were delivered at homes of the customers and payments were made through bitcoins."
According to reports, the accused were also involved in importing the drugs through darknet websites like Empire Market, Silk Route, Drug Board. The peddlers used to import the drugs from abroad, pack it in gift packages and sent it through posts. The drugs were supplied to college students.
Meanwhile, security has been beefed up in Karnataka ahead of the November 3 by-polls to two Assembly seats in RR Nagar and Sira. The campaigning for the by-poll elections ended on Sunday.
Police said that around 2,600 Bangalore city police officers, three companies of paramilitary forces, 19 State Reserve Police (SRP) and 20 city armed reserve forces have been deployed. We have 102 patrol vehicles in areas of elections. There will be a police vehicle in every half-a-kilometre to ensure that peaceful elections are held in the state.
