KEY POINTS
- Vishal Brahma, known for Student of the Year 2, was caught smuggling a banned drug.
- Authorities suspect a Nigerian drug cartel paid Brahma to use his luggage for trafficking.
- This incident follows recent arrests of Kannada actresses Ragini Dwivedi and Sanjana Galrani in a drug racket.
- Earlier, actress Ranya Rao was caught smuggling 14 kg of gold linked to an international smuggling network.
CHENNAI, India: Indian actor Vishal Brahma, known for his role in the 2019 film Student of the Year 2, has been arrested at Chennai airport for reportedly attempting to smuggle drugs worth millions of dollars, authorities said on Wednesday, in the latest scandal to hit the country’s film industry.
According to Indian media reports, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials intercepted Brahma upon his arrival on Air India flight AI 347 from Singapore.
During a thorough search of his baggage, the officials recovered Methaqualone, a banned substance, with an estimated street value of IND 40 crore (approximately 1.26 billion Pakistani rupees).
Preliminary investigations suggest that Vishal Brahma was allegedly recruited by a Nigerian drug trafficking syndicate, which reportedly paid him a hefty sum to use his luggage for smuggling purposes.
The actor is currently undergoing intense questioning as authorities work to unravel the extent of the international drug network involved.
This arrest adds to a growing list of high-profile cases involving celebrities and smuggling. Just last month, Kannada film actresses Ragini Dwivedi and Sanjana Galrani were detained by Bangalore Police during a crackdown on a drug racket. The two were arrested after raids at their residences uncovered links to narcotics trafficking.
Further intensifying the crackdown on smuggling within the film fraternity, another actress, Ranya Rao, was arrested in March at Bangalore Airport for attempting to smuggle 14 kilograms of gold valued at INR 12 crore (approximately 38 crore Pakistani rupees).
Rao was apprehended while returning from Dubai with the precious metal concealed in different parts of her body. Subsequent investigations revealed her connection to an international smuggling ring.
The series of arrests has sent shockwaves through the Indian film industry and raised serious concerns about the involvement of celebrities in illegal smuggling activities.
