Cops bust drug gang that worked via app for gays
CHENNAI: A gang that supplied methamphetamine (MDMA) by targeting gay men whom they identified through a mobile phone application was busted by the city police. Three men who were running the racket was arrested in this connection.
The Tiruvanmiyur police unearthed the racket after first receiving a tip-off that Asif Raja of Tiruvottiyur, a fashion designer, was supplying MDMA, a potent narcotic, to customers in syringes. The police arrested him and seized 13 g of MDMA, syringes, three mobile phones, three bikes and cash. When he was grilled, the 21-year-old spilled the beans, which led to the arrest of K Mathi (35) of Panaiyur and S Hussain (36) of Royapuram.
According to officials, Hussain a native of Gujarat who is working as a customer care executive, was the main accused in the racket. He befriended men with similar interest through an application for gay men, Grindr.
After giving them a dose of MDMA, which he received by courier from Mumbai for free, he made them work as suppliers on the offer that they would get the drug for free for personal use. “Hussain befriended Mathi, who works in a medical shop, through Grindr and started supplying him drugs to sell. He thought Mathi would be a safe bet to make money,” said the police.
Hussain sold 1 gram of MDMA to Mathi for Rs 3,000, which the latter sold to Asif Raja for Rs 6,000. Raja in turn mixed it in water and sold 1 ml each in syringes for Rs 500. Officials said about 40 doses can be made from one gram of MDMA – about Rs 20,000/gram or more than three times the investment. All three were remanded in judicial custody.