Actor, doctor held for peddling drugs in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: In the continuing drive against the narcotics trade and smuggling, the Hyderabad city police has busted another gang and arrested six persons including a Telugu film actor Abhishek. Those arrested also include three Nigerians. Police recovered 370gm of cocaine and Rs46,000 (Dh2,487) in cash.

Police officials said the arrested people were being questioned about the sources of supply of drugs and their customers.

Though it has been an open secret in local circles for a long time that many in the Telugu film industry were regular users and buyers of the narcotic substances it is the first time that an actor has been arrested on charges of links with the drug smugglers.

Some time back the city was agog with talk of a file with the police department containing the names of film personalities, including top stars for hobnobbing with drug peddlers and how narcotics were in great demand in film parties. However, later the matter was hushed up and nothing was heard about it.

The latest drug-smuggling racket was busted a day after the city police arrested a doctor on the charges of making and selling chocolates laced with marijuana. 35 year old Mohammad Shujat Ali Khan was arrested by the Rachakonda police after raiding his house in Bahadurpura area.

Police officials said he was selling narcotics-laced chocolates to social media contacts through Instagram for the last two years.

Police Inspector K. Narasing Rao said the doctor came up with the idea of making the chocolates laced with marijuana after he came into contact with addicted youth while he was working with some gyms in the city.

“He started procuring the substance from drug peddlers and started making toffees by mixing it with chocolate powder. He was selling the chocolates to this clients by opening pages on Instagram in various names Weedibles.hyd”, he said.

With more and more clients attracted to the colourful and attractively packages stuff, he soon developed his customer base across the country including the cities like Mumbai, Kolkatta and Bengaluru. “There were many women among the customers,” he said, adding that the doctor was earning Rs40,000 to Rs60,000 every month.