Amazon staffer advertises, sells drugs on Facebook, arrested

The accused has openly advertised about his stash collection on Facebook profile in order to sell them

Social media platforms have their negative sides too. The recent trend being the sale of drugs through online advertising. In a similar case, an employee of Amazon, who was selling drugs by uploading photos of cocaine, weed and LSD on his Facebook profile, and his associate a pharmacist were arrested by the officials of Prohibition and Excise Department. The duo were nabbed from Humayunnagar and 15 grams of cocaine, 80 grams of dry ganja, and two phones were seized from them on Wednesday. Facebook updates, photos uploaded to openly advertise their ‘stash collection’ were used as evidence.

Koustav Biswas, a ‘cannabis enthusiast’ as his Facebook bio reads, is an Amazon employee from Ratna Nivas Apartments in Manikonda and belongs to Kolkata. He along with Syed Adil, a pharmacist from Sainikpuri in Secunderabad, were nabbed from near Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital in Humayunnagar by the Excise and Prohibition Department.

“Mohd Irfan, an ex-employee of Amazon and a common friend of the duo, who has been supplying them stash from Pune, is reportedly absconding,” Excise Inspector of District Task Force, Hyderabad K. Karuna said.

The last Facebook update on late Tuesday night before Koustav’s arrest on Wednesday was: “Flight is in the morning and have some ecstasy and charlie on me so need to distribute it asap. Ready to deliver anywhere. Charlie is 4k and ecstasy is 1k.” He was known for his posts on the social media platform, asking for buyers to approach him for stash.

“We got an information that the boys were transferring drugs near the eye hospital and a team was promptly sent to nab them on Wednesday,” an official said.

The updates on Facebook were picked up by Koustav’s friends and the local people as well, as they are all public posts, wherein they either comment or message him personally asking for a quick buy as he ‘assures’ them spot delivery. Sources said that Koustav procures stash from other dealers in the old city areas or gets them himself from Himachal Pradesh or other cities.