Police arrested a hotel management graduate who allegedly used money received from an insurance claim to start a drug-peddling racket.
The accused Sachin, 25, a resident of Nayandahalli, was arrested on Tuesday along with 23-year-old Anand, an autorickshaw driver from Hebbagodi, while selling drugs to local peddlers in Devanahalli. Police have recovered 101 kg of ganja worth 40 lakhs from them.
Sachin’s brother Sagar, who is allegedly part of the racket, is absconding. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast) CK Baba said that a search is on for him.
According to the police, Sachin had gone to Malaysia for internship after doing a hotel management course in Chennai. Later he moved to Bangalore and got a job in the hospitality sector.
“Sachin started using marijuana and started selling it in small quantities to promote his excess. He befriended Anand, who is also addicted to drugs and the two decided to buy and sell marijuana on a large scale,” Mr. Baba said.
Further inquiry revealed that Sachin had recently had a non-fatal accident and had obtained an insurance claim. He invested money to buy drugs from his contact in Vizag. They took the consignment in a goods van to Bangalore without being traced.
The racket came to light after police received information that peddlers were coming to Devanahalli to sell marijuana to students going to Nandi Hills. A team kept a watch near Rani Cross, where Sachin and others used to sell ganja.
A few hours later, he and Anand reached the spot by bike, but on seeing the police tried to run away. The police chased and caught both of them and recovered five kg of ganja from them.
Later, during raids on Sachin’s house in Nayandahalli, the police recovered the remaining 96 kg of intoxicants. However, Sagar, who was staying with Sachin and was also a part of the racket, managed to escape.
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