CCB arrests 19, including 14 foreign nationals and seizes drugs worth Rs 7.7 crore

BENGALURU: The Anti-Narcotics Wing of the Central Crime Branch (CCB) arrested 19 people, including 14 foreign nationals, and seized 2.804 kg of MDMA crystals and 2.1 kg of hydro-ganja worth about Rs 7.7 crore. The raids were conducted in the limits of Varthur, Mahadevapura, Hebbagodi, KG Nagar and Suddagunte Palya police stations. A motorcycle and seven mobile phones were also recovered. Among the 14 foreign nationals, two are women, and 11 have been arrested for overstaying in the country. In Suddagunte Palya police limits, a Nigerian woman involved in drug peddling was arrested, and 760 grams of MDMA crystals valued at around Rs 1.52 crore were seized. She is currently in judicial custody. In Mahadevapura police limits, CCB sleuths detained five peddlers from Bengaluru and seized 600 grams of hydro-ganja valued at around Rs 60 lakh, along with five mobile phones allegedly used in drug peddling. The accused had rented a house in B Narayanapura and were distributing drugs under the instructions of an absconding key supplier. All five are in judicial custody. In Varthur police station limits, another foreign national woman was arrested, and 2.044 kg of MDMA crystals worth Rs 4.08 crore were seized, along with mobile phones and an electronic weighing machine. The woman had arrived in India last year on a tourist visa and was working as a hairdresser in Kammanahalli. She is accused of purchasing drugs from two absconding suppliers from Nigeria and Tanzania and selling them to known customers. Based on a tip-off about suspicious parcels containing narcotics at the Foreign Post Office under KG Nagar police limits, officials seized 1.5 kg of hydro-ganja valued at around Rs 1.5 crore. The drugs were concealed inside foreign-brand biscuit and chocolate packets and had been imported from Thailand and France. Police are on the lookout for the accused. In a joint operation with the Electronic City division police, CCB teams conducted a raid in Hebbagodi and detained 11 foreign nationals staying without valid passports or visas. House owners Shivarama Krishna (42) and Sangappa Patil (35) have been booked under the Foreigners Act for renting out their premises without following mandatory legal procedures. Police have advised the public to comply with legal requirements and inform local authorities when renting to foreign nationals.