The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has exposed a hidden facility producing Alprazolam, a regulated psychotropic substance, in the Kondapalli Industrial Development Area of NTR district in Andhra Pradesh. This operation, named “Operation White Hammer,” revealed a fully operational industrial setup camouflaging Alprazolam production as a chemical manufacturing unit. Authorities seized 237 kg of Alprazolam during the search, valued at approximately Rs 47 crore.
The clandestine facility was found with over 800 kg of crucial raw materials, 2,860 liters of various chemicals, and industrial equipment like reactors and driers. These findings suggest the presence of a well-organized and large-scale illegal drug manufacturing plant. Initial inquiries indicated that a chemist with extensive experience in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry orchestrated the operation, collaborating with an associate managing raw materials and distribution networks in Hyderabad.
The accused individuals, including the alleged masterminds behind the illegal operation, have been apprehended, with ongoing investigations. The DRI, during the current fiscal year, has shut down eight clandestine drug manufacturing units through intelligence-led actions. This underscores the agency’s dedication to the Government’s Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan and its mission to combat the production and distribution of narcotic and psychotropic substances.
In a separate incident in February, a joint operation by the Assam Rifles and the DRI resulted in the seizure of methamphetamine tablets worth over Rs 45 crore in Tripura, leading to the arrest of a drug peddler.
