Cocaine in Heels’: Hyderabad Police Busts Sophisticated Drug Network Tied to Upscale Pubs

In a major operation that exposed a high-end drug syndicate operating across Hyderabad, the Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) has busted a well-organized, transnational narcotics ring. The investigation revealed a wide network involving professionals, international suppliers, and even popular pubs in the city.

At the center of this racket is 34-year-old Surya Annamaneni, an engineering and MBA graduate who owns the ‘Malnadu Kitchen’ restaurant in Kompally. Once a sales manager in Bengaluru, he shifted to Hyderabad in 2020 to start a hospitality business but soon became deeply involved in the drug trade.

Annamaneni was arrested near his restaurant after police, acting on a tip-off, searched his Tata Scorpio SUV and recovered 10 grams of cocaine, 3.2 grams of OG Kush (a premium variety of cannabis), and 1.6 grams of Ecstasy pills. Shockingly, the cocaine was hidden in the heel of a woman’s sandal, packed in a pink cardboard box, and sent from Delhi through a courier service using a fake sender name, “Fatima”.

The arrest exposed a much deeper web. Annamaneni confessed to sourcing drugs from a network of Nigerian traffickers based in Delhi, Bengaluru, and Goa — known by aliases such as Nick, Jerry, Dezmond, Stanley, and Prince. Payments were made through personal and business bank accounts, including via “Ternion Hospitality”, a firm tied to his restaurant. Transactions included Rs 1.39 lakh and Rs 41,000 sent to accounts held by Nigerian nationals.

The drugs were delivered using courier services hidden within everyday items and stored either at his restaurant or in his vehicle before distribution.

Investigators also identified several Hyderabad pubs — including Prism, Farm Pub, Block 22, Bird Box, Xora, Broadway, and Quake Arena — as locations where drug use allegedly took place in secluded areas. Annamaneni admitted to consuming drugs at these venues, raising concerns about complicity or negligence by pub management.

The client list, according to police, is extensive and includes tech professionals, doctors, real estate figures, gym-goers, and even pub directors.

The operation highlights a concerning trend of educated individuals facilitating and engaging in narcotics trade through sophisticated means like digital transactions, courier concealment, and organized distribution in elite circles.

Annamaneni has been remanded to judicial custody. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the NDPS Act. EAGLE continues to investigate the broader network, focusing on tracing financial flows, digital evidence, courier partnerships, and any links to public establishments.

This case serves as a stark reminder of how drug operations are evolving in India’s urban centers — moving beyond traditional routes and entering mainstream social, professional, and nightlife settings.

News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.