In a major narcotics crackdown, Hyderabad police apprehended five individuals, including three interstate drug traffickers, during two separate operations. The haul included ganja, LSD, and magic mushrooms valued at over Rs1.4 crore.
The first operation, carried out by the Hyderabad Narcotics Enforcement Wing (H-NEW) and Nallakunta Police, resulted in the arrest of four suspects: 30-year-old architect Harshvardhan Shrivastava from Madhya Pradesh; B. Srinivasa Rahul, an IT professional from Chennai; and two local peddlers, Abhishek and Dhawal.
Authorities revealed Shrivastava procured drugs via the darknet’s Dread Market, using encrypted platforms like Signal and making payments through cryptocurrency and hawala networks. Rahul sourced hydroponic ganja (OG) through Snapchat and distributed it across Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai using courier services.
Police seized 1.38 kilograms of hydroponic ganja, 44 LSD blots, 250 grams of magic mushrooms, Rs10,640 in cash, six mobile phones, and two two-wheelers. The total estimated value of the seized contraband is Rs1.4 crore. Investigations are ongoing.
