Police bust first case of opium poppy peddling in Bengaluru

In a one-of-its-kind incident in Bengaluru, police have arrested a man for peddling opium poppy straws in the city.

Police said 25-year-old Bulbul Singh bought opium poppy straws at throwaway prices in Rajasthan, powdered them in a grinder in his Bengaluru home and soaked them overnight. He later supplied the liquid extract to pubs and a close network of customers in the city. He also extracted milk from the outer layer of poppy pods and sold that as well.

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An officer from the VV Puram police station explained that opium poppy straws were grown in Rajasthan's Chittorgarh district for their medicinal properties. Singh transported them by buses and trucks plying from Rajasthan to Karnataka. Sometimes, he just couriered them.

Singh took care to sell the contraband only to known customers in Bengaluru.

By arresting him, police seized 55 kg of contraband and a pick-up auto-rickshaw that he reportedly used to transport poppy straws.