Seized: Pure brown sugar that can cause brain haemorrhage when inhaled

City Market police have arrested the kingpin of a brown sugar peddling racket in Bengaluru and his associate who delivered the drugs to his clients.

They recovered 1.2 kg of brown sugar, 32 grams of MDMA, 25 LSD strips and 475 grams of opium, all worth around Rs 3.3 crore. Police also seized rolling papers, three mobile phones, two bikes and three weighing machines.

The arrested are Rajaram Bishnoi (31), of Magadi Road, and Suneel Kumar (21), from Kumbalgodu. Both are from Rajasthan. The duo was caught on Tuesday morning when they arrived near the KR Market metro station to sell drugs, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Sanjeev M Patil.

Inspector Kumaraswamy B G had checked a bag with double stitching the two men had carried and found drug hidden inside the bottom and side chambers which they had re-stitched. Police recovered 125 grams of opium, 150 grams of brown sugar, 32 grams of MDMA and 25 LSD strips. The rest of the drugs were seized from their residence.

The duo was transporting drugs in hollow railings and had been in the business for two-and-a-half years, Patil said. An investigating officer said 25 grams of pure brown sugar was among the seized items which can cause brain haemorrhage if inhaled directly. The duo wanted to dilute and sell the drug, the official said.

Rajaram was sourcing the drugs from Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat. The duo then brought the drugs by public transport. While selling it to local peddlers and consumers, they packed them in the hollow railings to avoid police scrutiny. Rajaram supplied drugs to customers in southern, western and northern Bengaluru, besides students at reputable colleges. He sold drugs to medical college students and smaller peddlers of his own community and did not entertain calls from unknown numbers. Sometimes, he couriered the drugs hidden in the railings, since the scanning would only show the railing.

Stored drugs above school

Rajaram and Suneel lived in separate rented houses and changed locations once in three months. Nine days ago, Rajaram rented a house in KP Agrahara where he hid the drugs. The portion he rented was located on the terrace of a multi-story building where a private school functioned.

Police watched Rajaram and Suneel after they recently caught the drug peddler Vikram Khileri from Rajasthan with brown sugar. They are making efforts to nab two others who were part of the racket. All of them are relatives. Though they came to the city to work as labourers, they began selling drug. These men lived lavishly in their native place. They owned cars and buildings. One of the accused, who is still at large, had bought an SUV during the lockdown.