Ex-NASA scientist, businessman held in Hyderabad drug racket

A former aerospace engineer of NASA was arrested today along with a businessman by the Telangana excise authorities for their alleged involvement in a high-end narcotics racket busted here last week.
With the two new arrests, the total number of persons held in the racket has gone up to 12.
Aerospace engineer, Dundu Anish, a US citizen, was allegedly found in possession of 16 units of LSD, a high-end drug, said the prohibition and excise department officials.
Anish had had studied at Doon School, Dehradun, they said, adding he earlier worked with US space agency NASA.
The probe has revealed that the 29-year-old engineer had, in the last few months, accessed dark website 'Lunacy' at least eight times and ordered various quantities of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances or NDPS (such as cocaine, LSD, MDMA), the officials said.

On information given by him, the Special Task Force of the department arrested Ritul Agrawal, a businessman dealing in steel. The 26-year-old has done his graduation in business administration from a leading city-based management school, they said.

"He (Agrawal), too, was found in possession of narcotics. He and Anish would order the material online and pay using bitcoins/crypto currency. The accused have stated that these NDPS substances are delivered by courier bearing (the) Netherlands markings," the officials said.
With the arrest of Anish and Agrawal, the number of people who are behind bars for their alleged involvement in the racket, busted on July 2, has gone up to 12.

The racket hinged on peddling of narcotics like LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) and MDMA (methylenedioxy- methamphetamine).
Five of those arrested are B Tech graduates who held good positions in MNCs.
The department had earlier seized 800 'squares' of LSD, each costing Rs 3,000, and 35 grams of MDMA worth Rs 1.4 lakh.
LSD, sold in tablets or in liquid form, is known to be one of the most potent 'mood-changing' chemicals, while MDMA, commonly known as 'molly' or 'ecstasy,' is used primarily as a recreational or party drug.