Bengaluru, 31 Dec

A man has been arrested for allegedly storing drugs valued at Rs 2.50 crore, meant for distribution during the New Year celebrations in prominent areas of Bengaluru.

The arrest was made on 27 December based on credible information from an informant, officials said on Tuesday.

Addressing reporters here, Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda said the Central Crime Branch (CCB) Narcotics Squad officers received intelligence about the storage of banned narcotic substances, specifically marijuana, in an apartment in Chokkanahalli here.

Acting on the tip- off, a case under the NDPS (Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act was registered at the CCB police station.

The squad raided the location and detained the individual. Upon interrogation, the accused revealed that the drugs were stockpiled for sale during New Year celebrations in prominent localities of Bengaluru. However, the identity of the alleged drug peddler was not disclosed by the police.

The items seized from the man's residence include Hydro Ganja, Marijuana, LSD Strips: 40 units, MDMA Crystal and three weighing machines, two mobile phones and Rs 21.30 lakh cash. The total value of the seized items is estimated to be Rs. 2.50 crore. "During extensive interrogation, the accused confessed to working alongside an accomplice to procure LSD strips from Goa, hydro ganja from Thailand, charas from Himachal Pradesh, and marijuana from Telangana," the police official said.

The accomplice is currently absconding, police said, adding efforts are underway to trace and apprehend him.

The police have also launched a crackdown on the sale of Cannabis and MDMA as well.

Providing details, he said, a total of seven police stations have seized 33 kg of cannabis worth 13 lakhs. The cannabis, sourced from states like Tripura, Manipur, and Jharkhand, led to the arrest of 13 individuals. "Rs 10 lakh worth of MDMA has also been seized from six people, who have been arrested," he added.