7 days ago
Cyberabad cops arrest constable, 5 others amid bid to sell cocaine mixed with ephedrine; drug worth Rs 1 crore seized
The Cyberabad police Tuesday arrested six people, including a police constable, while they were attempting to sell drugs such as cocaine mixed with ephedrine. According to the police, the accused were intercepted near Jaya Nagar, Kukatpally while they were looking for buyers, and 820 grams of the drug, worth Rs 1 crore, was seized from them.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that the alleged mastermind, Gunashekar, a serving police constable with the task force in Andhra Pradesh, proposed the sale of ephedrine for profit. Unnam Surendra, another accused, joined the scheme reportedly lured by the prospect of easy money, the police said. Along with associates Dothireddy Haribabu Reddy, Chegudi Mercy Margaret, Shaik Masthan Vali, and Devaraju Yesu Babu, they conspired to sell the drug in Hyderabad where the demand for it is high.
According to the police, Surendra collected 820 grams of the cocaine-ephedrine mixture from Gunashekar in Tirupati on May 29, 2025, and then travelled to Hyderabad via Guntur. The group assembled at Jaya Nagar, Kukatpally, to distribute the contraband. On Monday, while the group was moving towards Bhagyanagar in search of potential buyers, a patrolling police team intercepted them due to their suspicious movement and behaviour. Although one of the accused attempted to flee, they were all promptly apprehended.
Upon questioning and a subsequent search, the police team allegedly recovered the 820 grams of cocaine-ephedrine, along with a digital weighing machine and the mobile phones used by the accused. The seizure was conducted in strict adherence to procedures under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Further investigation is underway to identify any other individuals involved in this drug network.
The investigation revealed a prior association between Surendra and Mercy, a former employee of Keerthana Finance in Kandukur, Prakasam district, officers said. Surendra had previously referred customers to Mercy for gold loans, receiving commissions for these referrals. A subsequent financial dispute arose between Surendra, Mercy, and Mercy's friend Shaik Masthan Vali concerning the repayment of a personal loan, according to N Koti Reddy, Deputy Commissioner of Police (in-charge), Balanagar zone.
Dothi Reddy, a mutual friend of Surendra and a road contractor from Karlapalem in Bapatla, attempted to mediate this dispute. During the mediation, Dothi Reddy informed Mercy about the possibility of a drug deal. Mercy then discussed this with her friend, Devaraju, a private loan agent from Addanki. Devaraju reportedly claimed to have contacts in Hyderabad interested in purchasing the drug, thereby linking the transaction to their pre-existing financial disagreements, the police added.
