Alprazolam manufacturing unit busted in Sangareddy; 2 held with Rs 1 crore contraband

Hyderabad: On Tuesday, the sleuths of TGNAB (Telangana State Anti-Narcotics Bureau) along with Gummadidala Police, Sangareddy District, busted a major drug manufacturing operation and apprehended two persons who were manufacturing and selling the drug alprazolam illegally.

The officials seized 2.6 kg of Alprazolam and the entire manufacturing lab along with equipment from their possession. The total worth of seized goods was Rs 1 crore.

The accused have been identified as Gosukonda Anji Reddy (41) from Gummadidala and Kyasaram Rakesh (36) from Vikarabad district.

Case details

According to police records, the two drug manufacturers and their entire manufacturing unit were found to be running clandestinely on the outskirts of Kothapally village of Gummadidala Mandal, Sangareddy District.

The accused Anji Reddy and Rakesh, along with Prabhakar Goud and Sai Kumar, formed a gang and started illegally manufacturing Alprazolam. They would also sell the same to the needy. Alprazolam is also used for the preparation of spurious toddy.

Sai Kumar Goud is the main culprit who was previously arrested in two NDPS cases for possession and selling of Alprazolam.

In 2021, he was arrested by the NCB for possessing 3 kg alprazolam and in April too by the Genome Valley Police in Cyberabad. He was sent to Cherlapally jail for possessing 1.08 kg of Alprazolam.

“Sai Kumar Goud and Rakesh have previously worked in various pharma laboratories and acquired knowledge over chemicals and manufacturing of alprazolam. As they could find huge demand for alprazolam in adulterated toddy, they started manufacturing of Alprazolam to earn easy money.

What is Alprazolam?

Alprazolam is a highly addictive drug. Allopathic doctors only prescribe a maximum of 0.25 mg to 0.5 mg and that too for 14 days.

As per the NDPS Act, the commercial quantity of 100 grams is the same as cocaine. Dangerous chemicals like benzyl cyanide are used to manufacture Alprazolam in makeshift labs by people who are not experienced in scientific methods.

If a person drinks Alprazolam-laced toddy for more than 14 days, he or she develops tolerance, dependence and addiction. He will continue to drink till his death by kidney/liver/lung failure. The period before death brings tremendous pain and requires costly treatment.

It is tough to control the illegal trade due to the profit margins. Every rupee invested in making and selling alprazolam-laced toddy gives 20 to 40 times returns.

In the last year, five factories manufacturing alprazolam were unearthed including Nagarkurnool, Jinnaram, Cherlapally, Vijayawada, Fisalwad and Gummadilala. In addition, alprazolam is supplied from Pune, Indore, Ratlam, Delhi and Tamil Nadu.

Public advisory

In recent times, we have seen several youths/students getting addicted to drugs/ganja, committing crimes and involving in other anti-social activities.

Several families have become victims of the menace. It is an ardent request from TSNAB, Hyderabad City Police to the youth/students not to fall prey to drugs/ganja and request the parents to keep a watch on the activities of their children and feel free to approach police or pass information to police on 8712671111 to curtail such anti-social activities and strive for drug-free city.

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