Bengaluru Police arrested two foreign nationals, including Joel Kabong, who acted as a drug peddler in the Kannada film Bheema. Drugs worth ₹5 crore were seized, while two others remain absconding.
Bengaluru: In a major breakthrough against the city’s growing drug menace, Electronic City police arrested two foreign nationals, including Joel Kabong, who ironically played the role of a drug peddler in the Kannada movie Bheema directed by Duniya Vijay. The duo was caught with 2.15 kg of MDMA worth ₹5 crore. Police said the accused, Joel Kabong and Joy Sunday, had been running an organised drug network targeting college students in Bengaluru. Two other accomplices are still absconding, and a search is underway.
Drugs Worth ₹5 Crore Seized in Police Operation
City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said the arrests were made by a team led by Inspector GM Naveen. Based on credible information, the police apprehended the peddlers while they were attempting to sell drugs in a vacant area at Mahalakshmi Layout, Kerala Masjid Road, Bettadasapura.
Background of the Accused
Joel Kabong, a native of Congo, arrived in India on a student visa in 2013 but never enrolled in college. Joy Sunday, from Nigeria, entered India in 2022 under similar circumstances. Both later settled in Vidyaranyapura and Puttenahalli, respectively. Instead of pursuing studies, they remained illegally in the city and turned to drug peddling for easy money.
Modus Operandi: Online Deals and Hidden Stash Points
According to police, Joy was connected to a drug trafficking network in Delhi. She procured MDMA at a lower price from the capital and sold it at higher rates in Bengaluru. Joy handled the online transactions, while Joel acted as the delivery agent.
Joel would hide drugs at predetermined vacant locations and share the details with buyers. Customers would then collect the drugs directly, ensuring Joel avoided face-to-face interactions. Police said their primary targets were students of reputed city colleges.
Actor Played Drug Peddler in Movie
Adding an unusual twist, police revealed that Joel Kabong had also acted in a Kannada film. He appeared briefly in Bheema as a foreign drug peddler in a scene alongside the villain Dragon, when they approach a legislator about a peddler’s arrest. His role lasted only a minute or two, a reel life act that police say closely mirrored his real-life crimes.