Bengaluru Police seize drugs worth ₹28.07 crore, arrest 39 in 'Beda Bro' crackdown
Synopsis
Bengaluru Police netted 39 suspects — eight of them foreign nationals — and seized drugs with a street value of ₹55.80 crore in a single coordinated sweep across 16 police stations. The scale of the haul, the cross-border profile of the accused, and the targeting of college students signal that the city's drug supply chain runs deeper than street-level dealing.
Key Takeaways
Bengaluru Police arrested 39 people , including 8 foreign nationals and 21 from other states , on 10 August .
Drugs seized are valued at ₹28.07 crore ; estimated street value stands at ₹55.80 crore .
The haul includes 21 kg 641 g of MDMA , 184 kg 625 g of ganja , 738 g of cocaine , and quantities of opium and morphine.
Operations were conducted across 16 police stations and the CCB Anti-Narcotics Wing based on credible intelligence.
All 39 accused have been remanded to judicial custody ; suppliers remain unidentified and at large.
The crackdown is part of the 'Beda Bro' campaign under Mission RISE , targeting drug awareness among Gen Z youth.
Bengaluru Police have arrested 39 people — including eight foreign nationals — and seized narcotic substances valued at ₹28.07 crore (with an estimated street value of ₹55.80 crore) in a sweeping anti-drug operation conducted across the city under the 'Beda Bro' campaign on 10 August. The crackdown, carried out simultaneously across 16 police stations and the CCB Anti-Narcotics Wing, marks one of the largest single-phase drug seizures in the city in recent memory.
Key Developments
The raids were triggered by credible intelligence about the sale and distribution of prohibited narcotic substances in multiple parts of Bengaluru, according to Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh. Operations spanned jurisdictions including Amruthahalli, Girinagar, Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), Yeshwanthpur, Yelahanka, Hebbal, Kadugodi, Malleswaram, Mahadevapura, Begur, and Kothanur, among others.
Of the 39 accused, eight are foreign nationals, 21 are from other states, and 10 are local residents. All were produced before a court on different dates and subsequently remanded to judicial custody.
What Was Seized
The haul included 21 kg 641 grams of MDMA, 738 grams of cocaine, 4 kg 493 grams of hydro ganja, 184 kg 625 grams of ganja, 1 kg 65 grams of opium, and 25 grams of morphine. In addition, police recovered ₹17 lakh in cash, 22 mobile phones, and five two-wheelers allegedly used in the drug trade.
Cases have been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at the respective police stations.
What the Accused Told Investigators
During interrogation, the accused allegedly told investigators that they had been procuring narcotic substances at low prices from unidentified suppliers — sourced from foreign countries, other states, and within Karnataka — and reselling them at higher prices, targeting the general public and college students for quick profit. Police said efforts are underway to identify and apprehend the alleged upstream suppliers.
'Investigations are in progress, and efforts are continuing to trace and apprehend the unidentified persons who were supplying the prohibited narcotic substances to the accused,' the police said.
About the 'Beda Bro' Campaign and Mission RISE
Mission RISE — which stands for Refuse, Inform, Support, Empower — is a community-focused awareness initiative aimed at curbing narcotic drug use through public participation. The 'Beda Bro' campaign, a component of Mission RISE, specifically targets Gen Z youth, educating them on the physical, psychological, social, and legal consequences of drug addiction while encouraging resistance to peer pressure and informed personal choices.
The Bengaluru Police described this crackdown as part of their sustained drive under both Mission RISE and 'Beda Bro' to dismantle the supply and distribution networks feeding the city's drug trade. With suppliers still at large, further arrests are expected as investigations continue.
Point of View
21 from other states, only 10 locals — points to a supply chain that is neither homegrown nor contained within Karnataka. That the accused allegedly targeted college students for quick-profit resale raises a harder question: how deeply has the network already embedded itself in Bengaluru's campuses before this sweep? The ₹55.80 crore street valuation against a ₹28.07 crore seizure value also suggests significant markup in the distribution chain, meaning the real economic beneficiaries — the unidentified upstream suppliers — remain untouched. A crackdown that nets only the retail end of a transnational supply chain is a start, not a conclusion.
NationPress
10 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people were arrested in the Bengaluru drug crackdown?
Bengaluru Police arrested 39 people, including 8 foreign nationals and 21 individuals from other states, with 10 being local residents. All 39 have been remanded to judicial custody after being produced before a court.
What drugs were seized in the Bengaluru 'Beda Bro' operation?
Police seized 21 kg 641 g of MDMA, 738 g of cocaine, 4 kg 493 g of hydro ganja, 184 kg 625 g of ganja, 1 kg 65 g of opium, and 25 g of morphine. Additional items seized include ₹17 lakh in cash, 22 mobile phones, and 5 two-wheelers.
What is the 'Beda Bro' campaign and Mission RISE?
'Beda Bro' is a Bengaluru Police anti-drug initiative targeting Gen Z youth, aimed at educating them about the consequences of drug use and peer pressure. It operates under Mission RISE — Refuse, Inform, Support, Empower — a broader community awareness programme against narcotic drugs.
What is the total value of drugs seized by Bengaluru Police?
The seized narcotic substances and related items are valued at ₹28.07 crore, while their estimated market (street) value is put at ₹55.80 crore, according to the Bengaluru Police.
Have the drug suppliers been arrested?
No. According to the Bengaluru Police, the upstream suppliers — who allegedly provided narcotic substances from foreign countries, other states, and within Karnataka — remain unidentified. Investigations are ongoing to trace and apprehend them.
