In the run-up to the New Year party, Telangana Prohibition and Excise Department’s Enforcement officials seized eight grams of cocaine, nine grams of MDMA and four ecstasy pills from a Palestinian, and an Omani national, on Banjara Hills Road Number 12 on Saturday.
The alleged drug peddlers Saeed Ali (33) from Palestine, and Abdurabu (29) from Oman came to Hyderabad to pursue education, and got addicted to drugs.
The Excise department’s Enforcement (Hyderabad) officials said that both of them started to supply drugs.
Officials said that Ali shifted from Palestine to Syria along with his father. He came to Hyderabad ten years ago and stayed at Banjara Hills. Abdurabu, who reached the city five years ago, stayed at Nanalnagar.
Not first case
This is not the first case against the duo. The Excise State Task Force officials had booked a case against Ali at Ameerpet excise station in July 2018 in connection with supply of drugs. Abdurabu, who was pursuing engineering, was detained from the course.
The Enforcement officials said that a case was booked against him for cheating a woman from old city.
Officials said that in view of the coming New Year celebrations, the Enforcement wing kept vigil on activities of drug peddlers.
A team from the department conducted a decoy operation and caught the duo.
“They were selling cocaine at ₹ 7,000 per gram, MDMA at ₹ 4,000 per gram, ₹ 2,000 for each ecstasy pill, at party places. They purchased the same from Bengaluru and Goa,” officials said.
A person known by the name ‘Daddy’ from Bengaluru, and Dola from Goa supplied the drugs, and are absconding.
Every year, the Excise department teams keeps close watch on sale and supply of drugs in the city and its outskirts.
Known drug peddlers and party places come under the radar of the law enforcement agencies. Officials said that they would maintain vigil this time too.
