Four Suspects Arrested By Rachakonda Police for Ordering Drugs from Darknet

Four suspects are reported to have been arrested by the Rachakonda police on Monday. The police issued a statement on the arrest of another Nigerian National, Ajah Gabriel Ogbonna, as part of the four suspects. “On a tip-off, SOT sleuths apprehended Gabriel at Yapral. On questioning, he disclosed that he was having financial problems and that’s why he indulged in drug trafficking by procuring the contraband from Goa, Mumbai, Delhi and supplying them at pubs through his known contacts,” said the Rachakonda commissioner of police, Mohan Bhagwat.

The other suspects aside from the Nigerian are Nooka Navyanth, an engineering drop out, B Ghanath Kumar Reddy and DJ Ankith Pandey, HR consultant with Karvy stock broking limited HR consultant-cum.

There are a lot of Indians on the various Darknet platforms who are directly involved in the day to day drug trade. A number of them have been arrested by the police and have been prosecuted.

A bunch of drugs were seized including cocaine worth 0.5g, MDM worth 45g, 60 blots of LSD, 0.65g hashish, 60g of ganja, and 450 amphetamine pills.

It is an established fact that drugs bought on Darknet are sent to the buyers through the various carriers. In respect of this, the investigators have requested the carrier companies including DHL, Blue Dart, and FedEx to appear before the Special Investigation Team to assist in the investigation. FedEx hinted earlier that they have given information to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Telangana’s Prohibition Excise Department on the drug bust in Hyderabad. Any move to make the investigation a successful one is being employed by the investigators.

Just last month, the Telangana Prohibition and Excise Department arrested eight suspects who were involved in illicit drug supply in Hyderabad. Authorities have found a close connection between the recent arrests and that of last month.

The similarities between the two arrested groups are so close that both have the same source of drug supply.

According to an investigation, Nooka Navyanth had several modes of communication with other dealers including on Whatsapp. He was a buyer on the recent shutdown Darknet marketplace: Alphabay market. Drugs usually get to Hyderabad kids through Whatsapp, and other social media.

Navyanth particularly was so much connected to the previous bust, that he was the kingpin of the Calvin Mascarenhas.

Students Led the Drug Purchase in the Various Busts

The investigation which linked the recent bust to the last month’s bust also revealed that students were involved in the drug trade on the Darknet.

Over 1,000 students from the various high schools and colleges were exposed in last month’s bust for trading in LSD and MDMA. School children as young as 13 years old were identified to be linked to the drug trade. This problem is not only in Hyderabad, but most of the cities in India, and also across the globe. Most of these teenagers do not only traffic the drugs, but they are also addicted users.

Director of Enforcement, Akun Sabharwal recently expressed his disappointment over the availability of these drugs to the young ones: “While we are doing our duty, our entire team was definitely shocked and disturbed over the availability of these drugs to young students and adults.” He added: “Based on the investigation, it can be said that any child or adult who could afford around Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 per week were the only ones with the ability to buy or use LSD.”

A few months ago, the authorities arrested five students for purchasing LSD with an estimated street value of $107,800 from the United States of America.

Authorities have taken measures to control the engagement of the students in the drug trade. A police officer said to reporters some time ago that: “When school management notices a student doing wrong, it will bring the matter to the notice of his/her parents in an attempt to mend ways of the student. In the same manner, the excise enforcement officials wrote letters to schools/college managements asking them to take measures to sensitize their students on effects of drug abuse after a few students were found purchasing drugs from peddlers. The government must appreciate the police for cracking a whip on drug peddlers.”