HYDERABAD: The Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE), backed by Cyberabad Narcotics, has arrested 34-year-old Surya Annamaneni, owner of Malnadu Kitchen in Kompally, unveiling a sophisticated transnational narcotics network. Acting on precise intelligence, police intercepted him on July 7 while travelling in his SUV and recovered 10 g of cocaine, 3.2 g of OG Kush, and 1.6 g of Ecstasy pills.
What startled investigators was the concealment method: cocaine hidden inside the heel of women’s sandals, boxed in pink packaging, and shipped from New Delhi under the alias “Fatima” via courier, demonstrating an advanced logistics operation designed to evade detection.
MBA Graduate-Turned-Dealer Reveals Nigerian Supply Chain
Annamaneni, an engineering and MBA graduate, admitted to purchasing cocaine over 20 times between 2021 and 2025, frequently consuming it at Hyderabad’s upscale pubs such as Prism, Block 22, and Bird Box. He confessed that his suppliers included Nigerian nationals—Nick, Jerry, Dezmond, Stanley, and Prince—operating from key Indian cities like Delhi, Bengaluru, and Goa.
Financial trails revealed digital transactions: ₹1.39 lakh sent via his business “Ternion Hospitality” and another ₹41,000 withdrawn in cash—payments funnelled through bank accounts in Canara Bank and HDFC Bank tied to the Nigerian contacts. The purchased drugs, once received, were stored in his restaurant or car before being distributed to patrons and associates.
Nexus of Pubs and Digital Payments
Elite Social Circles as Consumer Base
Annamaneni’s network supplied drugs to diverse groups—professionals, gym-goers, techies, doctors, real estate agents, and pub directors—suggesting narcotics had woven into affluent urban lifestyles. He acknowledged that many pubs actively facilitated consumption by offering concealed areas for patrons .
Courier-Cash Drone of Narcotics Delivery
The use of household items and footwear for smuggling, combined with courier delivery and digital remittances, underscores the criminal system’s striking evolution: a blend of technology, anonymity, and social status enabling illicit trade in plain sight.
Legal Action and Wider Investigation
Surrounded by suspected accomplices—five businessmen and pub partners—Annamaneni and the arrested individuals face charges under multiple sections of the NDPS Act, including those related to trafficking and possessing large-scale narcotics . They have been remanded in judicial custody while investigations track digital finances, courier networks, and pub complicity .
Authorities are also reviewing dozens of digital records and bank statements to map the full extent of the transnational supply chain. Cyberabad Police are seeking warrants for 14 more suspects—including tech professionals, doctors, and hospitality operators—in this sprawling network.
What Lies Ahead?
The bust marks a significant escalation in India’s drug enforcement efforts, particularly against high-end trafficking circuits embedded in urban India. Law enforcement officials call for urgent reform: stricter monitoring of courier services, tighter banking compliance, and enhanced surveillance at social venues. Public awareness campaigns and cross-border coordination are becoming essential to dismantle these sophisticated drug rings targeting upwardly mobile city dwellers.