Foreign national smuggling drugs worth 2.5 cr in champagne bottles arrested

Bengaluru: Bangalore police have arrested a foreign national and seized drugs worth Rs 2.5 crore being smuggled in champagne bottles on Saturday, said Commissioner of Police Kamal Pant. The contraband also included 2.5 kg MDMA crystal powder.

The drugs were meant to be sold to students, industrialists, etc., in hotels. The investigations are on to ascertain the source of the drugs. The accused was caught while he was selling the drugs near Yusuf Maszid service road in HBR Layout, according to police.

Each champagne bottle carrying drugs was sold for Rs 60 lakh to Rs 70 lakh. The middleman would pack it in small packets and sell it to the customers. Govindapura police are following leads to nab the others involved in the racket.

The accused has been identified as Dosu Khaleef, 28, a citizen of the Ivory Coast. A mobile phone and a two-wheeler was also seized from Khaleef.

Khaleef came to India three years ago on a tourist visa. However, the police have not found visa or passport in his possession, police sources said. He used to bring drugs in the form of powder filled in champagne bottles from Goa.

A repeated offender, Khaleef was arrested by the police for drug trafficking in 2019 and 2020. However, he continued drug peddling after obtaining bail, police said.

A notice has been served on the landlord of Khaleef for renting out his house without verifying visa or passport or other documents.

In a tweet, City Police Commissioner, Kamal Pant said, "Brilliant work by the DCP EAST Division team led by PI of Govindapura PS in nabbing an inter-state drug peddler and kingpin from Ivory Coast. The accused used to procure the drugs from Goa and sell them through the sub-peddlers in Bengaluru at Rs 10,000 per gram."

"Around 2.5 kg of high-quality MDMA synthetic drugs worth Rs 2.5 crore has been seized and further investigation is underway. A cash reward of Rs 60,000 has been announced to the team," said Kamal Pant.