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The Hindu

CCB finds drug peddler they arrested last year still operating from prison

While probing a drug peddling ring in the city, sleuths from the Central Crime Branch have discovered that a 32-year-old person from Kerala, arrested in a drugs case, continued to operate from within the Central Prison complex for the last year over phone. This has again raised questions over security at the prison complex. How can inmates use cell phones despite state-of-the-art jammers is a question that has been dogging the prison for nearly a year now. During a raid on the prison against this accused, he reportedly managed to destroy the cell phone. Based on the findings of a probe, CCB officials recently seized ₹8.7 lakh, part of the proceeds of the crime from different bank accounts after obtaining a court order under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act, 1976. According to the police, the accused Amir Khan was arrested by CCB officials in November, 2024, in Amruthahalli and the police recovered MDMA crystals worth ₹71 lakh from him. The accused was booked under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 and remanded in judicial custody and lodged at the Central Prison. However, when the CCB recently unearthed another drug racket and arrested a peddler, he reportedly confessed that he was supplying the drugs on behalf of Amir Khan, who was operating from the prison. Further investigation revealed that the accused used to get instructions on WhatsApp from Amir Khan and would supply the drugs to consumers through the 'drop location' method. Based on this information, officials obtained the body warrant and took Amir Khan into custody which revealed that the money from the drug trade was being transferred to bank accounts belonging to his relatives. The accounts have been traced and the money seized. The CCB officials invoked SAFEM (FOP) Act, 1976 and NDPS Act, 1985 to seize the proceeds of the crime. The accused challenged the CCB move, but was turned down by the court, sources said.