A 35-year-old Bhatkal native suspected to have supplied illicit drugs to high-profile parties in Bengaluru has been arrested after a year-long manhunt.
Sharif Hassan Masuri, having aliases Massi and Myashi, was caught by the Central Crime Branch’s (CCB) Anti Narcotics Wing on August 30 but the arrest was disclosed only on Wednesday.
While a CCB statement said Masuri had gone into hiding near Delhi after switching off his phone and was using an obscure number to evade detection, it’s not clear where exactly he was arrested. A Bengaluru court has remanded him in police custody for 14 days.
The CCB said Masuri was one of the main drug dealers linked to the Sandalwood drugs scandal that broke out last year. He was named in cases registered at Cottonpet and Banaswadi police stations, but the high court recently gave him bail in the first case.
The CCB believes Masuri hosted parties in Bengaluru where actors and other celebrities consumed illicit drugs procured by him. He is also suspected of supplying narcotics to African expats in the city.
“Based on information available in the Banaswadi case, we are questioning him and will file an additional charge sheet in the case if necessary,” a senior police officer said.
The CCB is also trying to bust his network of drug dealers.
Published 01 September 2021, 19:04 IST