Drug bust in Hyderabad: Tollywood director and Nigerian nationals from Bengaluru in the net

Meanwhile, TSNAB director and Hyderabad City Police Commissioner CV Anand said Tollywood actor Navdeep Palabolo, producer Ravi Uppalapati and bar owners in the city are on the run in the case.

The three Nigerian nationals, identified as Amobi Chukwudi Monajolo, 29, Egbauri Michel, 32, and Thomas Anaga Kalu, 49, from Bengaluru, were arrested. Other suspected drug peddlers, including Devarakonda Suresh Rao, 35, a sales manager for a start-up in Gachibowli; Koli Ramchand, 37, who runs a plant nursery; Kurapati Sandeep, 35, marketing manager at a software company; Film director Anuju Sushanth Reddy, 36, and businessman Bagala Sreekar Krishna Praneeth, 32, were arrested from Hyderabad.

Earlier on August 31, TSNAB officials arrested Kaba Bhaskar Balaji, 34, a former Navy officer, and K.K. Venkataratna Reddy, 47, Tollywood financier, D. Murali, 42, a senior stenographer in Rail Nilayam, after a raid on a service. Apartment in Madhapur. The police seized 2.8 grams of cocaine, 6 LSD tablets, 25 Ecstasy tablets, and 20 grams of marijuana from the defendant’s possession. They were allegedly found partying at an apartment in Vittal Rao Nagar in Madhapur with two women who had allegedly been promised roles in films.

“Amobi Chukwudi used to buy drugs from a Nigerian national, named Kyole, who had recently moved to Nigeria,” the police commissioner said. “Igbauri Michael was buying drugs from Ben Frank Wilson alias Bernard and Thomas Anaga Kalu accused him of getting them from Favor Ogwu, who returned Also to Nigeria.”

The commissioner claimed that big names from the Tollywood film industry had figured in the drug bust and officials were collecting evidence to make more arrests.

Amobi Chukwudi is a member of the All India Nigerian Students and Community Association in Bengaluru and has helped community members by raising money under a trust fund called Aid to Bettors and Innocents to cover expenses of deportation, bail and other legal services.

“Bhaskar Balaji is the main supplier among the Hyderabadi crowd and also organizes parties. He gives nicknames to his clients and uses Snapchat to run the business. A few days ago, Balaji and Ram met Amobi Chokwudi to buy cocaine and ecstasy pills. Meanwhile, Devarakonda Suresh, Kohli Ramchand and Kawarapati were Sandeep, Sushanth Reddy and Bagala Srikar Krishna Praneeth regularly buy drugs from Balaji and Ram, the police official claimed.

Meanwhile, actor Navdeep took to X (formerly known as Twitter) and posted, “This is not me gentlemen. I am here.. Please clarify thanks.”

While the three Nigerians were in Hyderabad to deliver a consignment of drugs, acting on credible information, TSNAB sleuths, along with Gudmalkapur police, arrested them. The main drug supplier, Ben Frank Wilson, known as Benard, is said to be at large.