8 Held For Transporting, Consuming Drugs

HYDERABAD: Eight persons were arrested for possessing drugs reportedly for a New Year party, in Suraram on Friday. The police seized 45 grams of brown MDMA, six grams of white MDMA and 13 grams of dry ganja during the operation, based on specific information.

According to Suraram police, the accused were identified as A. Ranjeeth Kumar, 30, of Old Bowenpally, Kukatla Nitesh Kumar Yadav alias Nash, 25, of Bowenpally, Vuppari Naveen Kumar alias Tillu, 31, of Suraram, Mohammed Shauruddin alias Shahrukh, 28, of Suraram; and consumers — Nagireddy Venkata Shashidar Reddy, 27, of Nellore, Kunchala Shivabrahma, 21, of KPHB, Medarimetla Laxmi Nandini, 21, of KPHB and Karimeraka Sai Kumar, 27, of Petbasheerabad. Another accused, Ashwin of Bengaluru, who allegedly supplied the drugs, is absconding.

Ranjeeth Kumar, who works in a private firm in Begumpet, decided to sell MDMA to earn quick money. Through friends, he came in contact with Ashwin in Bengaluru and arranged the purchase of MDMA and ganja. Ranjeeth, along with Nitesh Kumar Yadav and Naveen Kumar, allegedly pooled Rs48,000 and transferred the amount online to Ashwin. Nitesh later travelled to Bengaluru, collected the drugs and brought them to Hyderabad.

On Friday morning, Ranjeeth and Naveen travelled to Bowenpally in two cars, both belonging to Naveen, to pick up the contraband and Nitesh. The MDMA was carried in one vehicle by Ranjeeth and the ganja in the other by Naveen and Nitesh. In the evening, the accused gathered at a flat in a private residential building in Suraram and informed the consumers about the availability of the contraband. When the consumers reached the flat to collect the drugs, police raided the place and apprehended them at around 9 pm.

The police seized the drugs and eight mobile phones from the accused. A case has been registered under Sections 22, 20(b)(ii)(A), 8(c) r/w 27 of the NDPS Act.