8,335 strips; kingpin in Thailand: What Kerala links surfaced in Bengaluru’s record LSD seizure?
Bengaluru’s Central Crime Branch (CCB) has dismantled a high-stakes narcotics ring, arresting two Kerala natives, Ashwin and Mubeena, in the Bagalur area. The pair, who had lived in Bengaluru for a year, allegedly served as the local distribution arm for a Kerala-based kingpin operating out of Thailand. This operation netted a massive haul: 8,335 LSD strips, five kilograms of Hydro Ganja, 534 grams of charas, two mobile phones, and a two-wheeler, with a total value of ₹11.50 crore. A senior police officer confirmed the duo was "receiving narcotic substances from a Kerala-based individual residing in Thailand and distributing them to customers as per his instructions, thereby earning illegal profits".
Record Seizures and Cunning Tactics
The scale of the recovery marks a significant shift in the city’s narcotics landscape. Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh stated: "This was the first time such a huge quantity of LSD had been recovered in Bengaluru. We are trying to find out from where it has been sourced and where it was meant to be supplied. We have some specific inputs about the intended targets. However, without concrete evidence, we cannot conclude. We are working to establish how such a huge quantity was procured and for whom it was meant".
The crackdown extended beyond Bagalur, revealing diverse smuggling methods. At K G Nagar, officials intercepted 1.5kg of Hydro Ganja worth ₹1.5 crore, which had been hidden inside chocolate and biscuit boxes sent via international parcels. In Whitefield, an interstate accused was arrested on March 1 with 27.239kg of ganja and 3.2kg of hashish oil valued at ₹55 lakh. Additionally, two foreign women overstaying their visas in Mico Layout were apprehended and sent to a Foreigners Detention Centre via the FRRO.
The Thailand-Kerala Narcotics Axis
Investigators have identified a shifting frontier where Thai cartels, often steered by Indian nationals rather than locals, are aggressively targeting South India. Kerala’s 590-kilometre coastline has become the primary "landing point" for these operations, making the state highly vulnerable to smuggling. The crisis is mounting; in 2024, Kerala recorded over 27,700 cases under the NDPS Act—three times the number registered in Punjab during the same period. While Pakistan-based operatives largely focus on the north, cartels from Thailand, Mexico, and China are saturating the south with methamphetamine, which has huge demand. Contraband landing in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is frequently moved through southern states before reaching the rest of the country or Myanmar.
Dark Web and the National Threat
These syndicates are no longer using traditional methods alone; they are exploiting the dark web, cryptocurrency, and hawala networks for payments. A recently busted Pune module proved that drugs sourced from Thailand and Bhutan are being distributed as far as Assam. This "crowded" market presents a new challenge for agencies previously focused on the Dawood Ibrahim syndicate. An Intelligence Bureau official warned: "The current Indian drug market is a crowded one. All these years, the agencies spent time dealing with the Dawood Ibrahim syndicate. Today, there are many players and cartels in Thailand, which have Indian bosses too, and are becoming a major menace as they are trying to flood the markets with their contraband". Relevant agencies are now working across state lines to curb the influx.