Hyderabad constable's gut feeling cracks open high-profile Goa drug syndicate

Hans India

4 hours ago

What began as an ordinary court duty turned into a major bust in Telangana's battle against narcotics—all thanks to one vigilant constable and a gut feeling that wouldn't quit.
While monitoring a routine hearing at a local Hyderabad court, the constable's eyes landed on a familiar face: a man accused in a 2018 narcotics case. But it wasn't his past that raised red flags—it was the present. The man's behavior, his contacts, and his movements hinted that he might still be knee-deep in the drug game.
From a Suspicion to a Syndicate
Alerted by this hunch, the Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TGANB) quietly moved in. The suspect was picked up for questioning—and that's when the dominoes began to fall.
The investigation led to Livio Joseph Almeida, a Goa resident who operated an elite network of 48 steady clients in Hyderabad, peddling high-end drugs like cocaine and MDMA. His city-based associate, Ubalanka Shankar, had already been arrested in May.
A Trail Leading Back to Goa's Party Belt
Almeida's confession cracked open a larger puzzle. He sourced his drugs from peddlers in Parra, Goa—a village long associated with the state's underground rave culture. This led officials to Benjamin Fosu, another key figure, who spilled even more: powerful Nigerian syndicates were operating in full swing from Goa's tourist hotspots—Anjuna, Siolim, and Parra.
'This wasn't some back-alley exchange,' said one TGANB officer. 'We uncovered an entire ecosystem—from foreign suppliers to local middlemen to high-profile clients.'
Not Just Partygoers—Professionals Were Clients
The investigation revealed an alarming pattern—this network wasn't limited to party circles. Among the clientele were DJs, doctors, and upper-class professionals.
In 2024, DJ Swadeep was arrested for sourcing party drugs from Parra. A Hyderabad-based doctor was also found to be a repeat customer, receiving deliveries from Balakrishna, a Mumbai native who posed as a regular commuter to avoid suspicion.
Balakrishna perfected the art of covert delivery: boarding private buses, hopping onto bike taxis, and meeting clients under the guise of casual appointments.
The Big Picture: A Growing Urban Nexus
Every arrest exposed another link in this sprawling web, connecting Goa's supply chains to Hyderabad's growing demand. Authorities say it's not just about small-time peddlers anymore—it's about organized, adaptive, and urban-savvy networks.
'The Goa-Hyderabad pipeline is very much alive—and evolving,' a senior TGANB officer stated. 'But so are our strategies.'
With surveillance intensifying around known hotspots and communication channels, the operation is far from over. More arrests are expected as Telangana steps up its crackdown on the metro drug menace—thanks, in no small part, to one constable's sharp eye.