SP Rupesh addressing the media after an Alprazolam manufacturing unit was raided by the police on the outskirts of Kothapally, Gummdaidal, in Sangareddy district.
| Photo Credit: MOHD ARIF
The raided alprazolam manufacturing unit in Sangareddy district.
| Photo Credit:
MOHD ARIF
Gosukonda Anji Reddy, 41, owner of Chandra Reddy Garden, and Gummadidala Swimming pool, in Gummadidala, and Kyasaram Rakesh, 36, a realtor, were arrested after a contraband manufacturing lab was discovered on their premises in Sangareddy.
The Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TGNAB) officials seized 2.6 kilograms of contraband along with the manufacturing lab and the equipment used. About 20 kilograms of stage-1 intermediate product, 10 kilograms of stage-2 intermediate produce, 350 litres of mixed solution, 35 kilograms of hexamethyl antihistamine, 16 litres of acetic acid, one barrel of ammonium carbonate, and 90 kilograms of phosphorous penta sulphide were also seized.
According to officials, the two arrested were suppliers to a network of drugs comprising Prabhakar Goud and Sai Kumar, who were previously booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act for illegally manufacturing and selling alprazolam to toddy sellers for spiking the drink.
Sai Kumar Goud and K. Rakesh previously worked in various pharma laboratories and acquired knowledge of chemicals and manufacturing process of alprazolam. Owing to the demand for adulterated toddy, they started manufacturing alprazolam illegally, the officials explained.
Five factories manufacturing alprazolam have been unearthed in the last one year including at Nagarkurnool DRI, Jinnaram, Cherlapally, Vijayawada and Fisalwadi – while the drug is also being supplied from Pune, Indore, Ratlam and Delhi.
A case has been booked under Section 8(c) r/w 21(c), 22(c), 29 of the NDPS Act-1985.
