Bengaluru, Sep 28 (IANS): The Karnataka Police have arrested four drug peddlers, including two Iranian nationals and recovered Rs one crore worth of drug substances on Tuesday.

During the investigation it was discovered that the main accused, an Iranian national, had rented out a villa and converted it into a 'hydro-ganja' growing and processing factory.

The police have seized 12.850 kilograms of Hydro Ganja, 130 hydro Ganja plants and Ganja, LSD Paper and a car from the accused persons. The accused from Iran was staying in India illegally even after the expiry of the Visa period, Sandeep Patil, the Joint Commissioner (Crime) stated.

The accused procured Hydro Ganja seeds through the darknet from Europe. They had hired a villa in Bidadi, the neighbouring town of Bengaluru and grew Hydro Ganja and processed it into a drug substance. They established a full-fledged network of distribution. They sold it to software professionals, industrialists and students.

The police were surprised to see the arrangements made to grow Hydro Ganja systematically and scientifically. The police have recovered UV lights, LED lamps, vacuum packing containers, an electrical weighing machine, 130 Hydro Ganja plants and LSD strips.

The operation was carried out by the City Crime Branch (CCB) sleuths after they got a tip-off that the accused were selling Hydro Ganja, LSD strips in the limits of D.J.Halli police station. The police arrested the accused in a swift operation.

The main accused, an Irani national, has been booked by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Yeshwanthpur police.

Sources said that the accused suffered from a brain disorder. He got used to consuming Hydro Ganja after procuring it from Europe. Later, he got the seeds from Europe through the darknet and grew the Hydro Ganja plant in his Kammanahalli house. Later, he shifted to villa, the sources said.

Further investigation is on, said police.