Bengaluru police seize drugs, cash worth Rs 2.50 cr, two held
Bengaluru, Dec 29 (PTI): Ahead of New Year celebrations, two persons have been arrested in separate cases, and narcotics and cash worth about Rs 2.50 crore seized from them, police said on Monday.
In the first case, the Central Crime Branch Narcotics Control Wing conducted an operation within the limits of the Soladevanahalli police station and apprehended a foreign national allegedly involved in drug peddling.
Police have not disclosed the names of the accused arrested in either case.
"During the operation, 1.70 kg of MDMA crystals, 60 ecstasy pills, Rs 2 lakh in cash, a mobile phone allegedly used for the crime and a laptop were seized from the accused," a senior police officer said.
ALSO READ: 4 held in joint drug op by Maharashtra ANTF, Bengaluru Police & NCB
The total value of the seized items in the case was estimated at Rs 2.25 crore, he said.
According to police, the accused had arrived in India last year on a business visa.
As per the preliminary investigation, he allegedly procured MDMA at lower prices from other foreign nationals residing in Delhi and Mumbai and was preparing to supply the drugs to known customers during the New Year celebrations.
Police said they were also examining possible violations related to visa conditions.
In another operation conducted within the limits of the Bandepalya police station, police arrested an interstate drug peddler.
ALSO READ: PUC student dies by suicide in Manipal after being advised to study
From the accused, police seized 100 LSD strips, five grams of cocaine, and a mobile phone allegedly used for the crime. The total value of the seized items in the case was estimated at Rs 25 lakh, officials said.
The accused, a native of another state, was working as a delivery executive with an e-commerce company in Bengaluru, the officer said.
As per preliminary findings, he allegedly procured LSD strips and cocaine from unidentified sources at lower prices and sold them at higher rates to known customers, thereby earning illegal profits, police added.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
===================
The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
