Mangaluru: A doctor with a prior history of drug-related offences has been arrested again in connection with a new drug peddling case. Identified as Prajwal Peenyas, the accused is said to have sourced narcotics from Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh and distributed them within the city.
This arrest marks the ninth in a widening probe into a local drug supply network, police officials confirmed.
Accused: Former Medical Student with Multiple Cases
According to City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy, Prajwal Peenyas is a native of Mangalapet, Bidar district, and was residing in Kodipalya, Kengeri, Bengaluru at the time of his arrest.
He was previously a medical student at a private college in Mangaluru and had three drug-related cases registered at different police stations across the city.
Key Link in Interstate Drug Network
The ongoing investigation revealed that Peenyas was instrumental in sourcing drugs from neighbouring states, primarily Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, and distributing them in Mangaluru. Police stated that the investigation began with the interrogation of local drug users, which uncovered a nine-member network, now fully apprehended.
All accused individuals have been remanded to judicial custody.
Case Registered Under NDPS Act
The latest case was filed on July 2 at the City Central Crime (CEN) Police Station under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Police have also seized a mobile phone used in drug-related transactions.
Disturbing Trend: Professionals in Drug Trade
This is not an isolated incident. We had earlier reported on the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) busting a drug trafficking racket involving an MBBS doctor and eight others across five states—Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.
A post on X (formerly Twitter) by a concerned doctor highlighted the alarming trend of highly educated individuals—including engineers, MBA graduates, and medical professionals—being part of international drug syndicates. The accused in these cases were allegedly involved in trafficking high-end synthetic drugs such as cocaine, MDMA, methamphetamine, methaqualone, and ecstasy.
