Friday, July 22 2005 14:59 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: A sari dealer was arrested and drugs worth Rs 22 lakh seized from him during a crackdown by the narcotic squad of the central crime branch here yesterday (July 21, 2005).

Acting on a tip-off that a person was trying to sell narcotic substance on MBT road here, the police raided the area and arrested a 47-year-old person who was found to posses 1.1 kgs of 'charas', City Police Commissioner, Ajaikumar Singh told reporters here today (July 22, 2005).

The accused, a city resident, hailed from Raxual village in Bihar, he said, adding, the police were interrogating him to trace his probable links to other organised groups or dealers in narcotic trafficking.

The police were trying to ascertain the source of procurement of the drug and whether there were any organised gangs indulging in the narcotic trade. "We are also trying to find out whether the drug was purchased from outside the state or from within", he said.

The accused, a sari dealer, was being probed to find out to which places or individuals or groups the drugs were sold.

"We want to ascertain whether there were regular buyers of the drug and the channel through which the narcotics were routed through".

To a question whether the narcotics were being provided to any popular joints or rave parties believed to be held in the city, the commissioner said the police are still investigating the matter.

Meanwhile, the drug has been sent to Chennai for analysis.