After completing the first round of investigation into the drug racket with alleged links to the Kannada film industry, the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the police has intensified the search for the prime suspects who are absconding. These include film producer Shiva Prakash and Sheikh Faazil, who allegedly hosted parties in India and Sri Lanka where drugs were sold.
According to the police, Shiva Prakash was at one time a close friend of actor Ragini Dwivedi, who is in judicial custody, and would organise parties for her. “The accused are well known in the drug peddling circle and were regular visitors to the farmhouse of Aditya Alva where parties were organised on weekends,” said a senior police official.
Aditya is the son of the late minister Jeevaraj Alva and the brother-in-law of Bollywood star Vivek Oberoi. “He is absconding. Efforts are on to track him down,” said the police official.
CCB officials are banking on the arrest of local drug dealers and African nationals to lead them to bigger players in the racket.
90 kg of marijuana seized
On Thursday, the CCB arrested three people and seized 90 kg of marijuana worth ₹50 lakh. Acting on a tip-off, a police team raided an apartment in Doddabanahalli and arrested Azam Pasha, 25, the owner of the flat along with two of his associates Masthan Vali, 25, and Mohammed Abbas, 27. Another accused managed to escape and efforts are on to track him down.
According to the police, the gang sourced marijuana from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. “Shipments were smuggled into the city concealed in goods vehicles. The accused would store the ganja in the flat and sell it to smaller peddlers in the city as well as college students,” said a police officer.
Drugs passed off as prasad
The City Market police on Thursday arrested a 25-year-old man for allegedly dealing in drugs and recovered 90 gram of brown sugar from him. The accused, Vikram Khileri, is a resident of Giri Nagar. He was caught red-handed while waiting on his bike for customers. The drugs were concealed under the cover of his helmet.
Vikram claimed that the contraband was smuggled into the city via private transport and courier services under the guise of prasad. “He would fill small plastic packets with the drug and courier them to his clients stating that it was prasad from a temple,” said a police officer.
