Hyderabad: Hyderabad police arrested six people on Monday, including two African drug peddlers and a Tollywood actor, from Jubilee Hills for possession of illegal drugs.

Police recovered 370 grams of cocaine and `50,000 from their possession. The two Africans came from Mumbai to deliver the drugs to their customers who included an actor Abhishek Kumar. Kumar, who has acted in Danger, Aice, and Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana, had been arrested in 2012 in a drug case.


Police says the actor confessed that he and his friend G. Srinivasulu used to procure drugs from Goa and Mumbai.

“After they got bail in 2012, they continued to hunt for cocaine. In April 2016, he (Kumar) met Mandela James and Mark Owen at a party in Mumbai. He asked them to deliver the drug,” said Task Force DCP B Limba Reddy.

African accused came on business visa
“Abhishek used to purchase 15 to 20 grams of the drug regularly for his personal use and also to share with his friends,” said Commissioner's Task Force DCP B. Limba Reddy.

The prime accused in the case, Mandela James, a South African national, is said to be the kingpin of a drug racket in Mumbai.

He came to India in 2011 on a business visa. He has been staying at Naigaon East in Mumbai and exporting garments to his country from India. “He procures drugs and sells them to customers with the help of his aide, Drake Owen, a Ghana national,” said Mr Limba Reddy.

The police had got a tip-off that these two were peddling drugs in the city. They were arrested at the Jubilee Hills checkpost when they came here to exchange the drugs for cash with the Tollywood actor.