Eagle team busts Alprazolam manufacturing unit in Bowenpally

Hyderabad: Ina significant crackdown on illegal drug manufacturing, the State police’s Eagle team raided a major Alprazolam lab at a closed in Bowenpally on Saturday. The operation led to the seizure of 7 kg of Alprazolam and cash worth Rs 20 lakh.

The clandestine lab was discovered spread across the principal’s office and two classrooms of the abandoned school premises.

Officials seized machines and equipment used in the manufacture of Alprazolam, a powerful prescription drug primarily used to manage anxiety and panic disorders but frequently abused for its euphoric and anxiolytic effects.

The raid was based on a tip-off and led to the arrest of three individuals identified as Malela Jaya Prakash Goud (39), a resident of Old Bowenpally and the key mastermind behind the operation, along with 23 Year-old Goute Murali from Hasmathpet and another 23 Year-old Uday.

Police revealed that Prakash Goud took over the closed school building and covertly converted it into a drug manufacturing unit, which reportedly operated from the principal’s room and other school floors.

It was also revealed that while running the drug operation during the day, Goud conducted tuition classes in the evenings to avoid suspicion.

The police also reported that the drug production extended beyond Hyderabad with the supply network reaching into Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu. The seized equipment included four reactors and various chemicals used in the production process.

This bust is a substantial step in the Telangana Police’s ongoing campaign against drug trafficking and illicit manufacture, delivering a serious blow to the Secunderabad drug mafia.

Further investigation is underway, including the involvement of the former school principal and other accomplices.

Authorities continue to emphasise the dangers of abusing prescription drugs like Alprazolam when sourced through illegal channels, highlighting significant risks to public health and safety.