Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Telangana police are investigating a suspected narcotics network operating between Goa and Hyderabad after arresting a Goa-based man and uncovering financial transactions worth approximately ₹48.4 lakh that investigators are now scrutinising.
Custodio Fernandes, also known as Kristy, was arrested in Goa by Telangana’s Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) force, with support from the Hyderabad Enforcement Wing (H-NEW) and Hyderabad City Police. Investigators suspect that the network involved drug supplies, deliveries and the movement of payments between the two states.
The case dates back to May 9, 2026, when Panjagutta police arrested R Keshav Raj Singh over allegations that he was attempting to sell drugs allegedly procured from Goa. Police said they recovered 13 grams of MDMA and seven grams of charas from his car. A case was subsequently registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
According to investigators, Singh allegedly identified two people as his sources during questioning: Vedank, from Marredpally, and Fernandes, based in Goa. Singh reportedly told police that he visited Goa in April and bought MDMA and charas worth around ₹40,000 from Fernandes, with plans to sell the drugs for nearly ₹80,000.
The financial aspect of the case has become a major focus, with investigators reportedly identifying credits amounting to about ₹48.4 lakh in the bank accounts examined. Officials are working to establish where the money originated, who received it and whether the transactions were connected to the alleged drug business.
Police suspect that people associated with the Goa-based supplier travelled to Hyderabad to distribute drugs, collect payments and deposit cash into accounts allegedly connected to Fernandes. The suspected role of intermediaries and the movement of funds through ATM deposits are also being examined.
An analysis of Fernandes’s mobile phone reportedly brought more than 25 Telangana residents to the attention of investigators. Police are checking their identities and possible connections to the suspected operation. Officials have stressed that contact details found on a phone alone are not proof of drug use or participation in a crime.
Investigators are also looking into the alleged involvement of a Nigerian national known as Nigi, who is suspected of coordinating drug deliveries from Goa through local associates.
