Hyderabad: The sleuths of Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) apprehended four drug manufacturers including the director of PNM Life Sciences, a drug manufacturing company. They were arrested during a raid in a flat at Sai Datta Residency, near Suchitra Cross roads, Jeedimetla. Police seized 220 kg of Ephedrine drug worth Rs 72 crore in an international market from their possession.

According to police, ephedrine can be made into methamphetamine and the cost becomes ten-fold. Police arrested Vastavayi Shiva Ramakrishna Parama Varma (52), works at Aqua culture, Dangeti Anil (31), a Production Manager at PNM (Polaiah Nadipamma Maddu) Life Sciences, Musini Dorababu (29) Production Operator at Vignasai Laboratories Pvt. Ltd, and Maddu Venkata Krishna Rao (45) Director of PNM. Another Director of PNM Life Sciences M Prasad (49) is absconding.

Ramakrishna was earlier arrested twice by NCB Bangalore and NCB Hyderabad in the year 2017 and 2019 and seized 250 KGs of Amphetamine and 10 KGs of Alprazolam respectively.

A senior officer at EAGLE said that the accused Ramakrishna went to the factory PNM Life Sciences, IDA Bollaram along with friend Swamy, in the month of December 2024 and got introduced to the accused Anil, where he is working as a Production Manager. Later, they discussed preparing Ephedrine drugs and promised to give a fair amount of money. Anil got induced by the offer of Ramakrishna and discussed the offer with his company owners/co-accused Venkata and Prasad. “As Ramakrishna was paying handsome money for preparing Ephedrine in their premises, the owners Venkata and Prasad agreed to the offer and directed Anil to proceed with the production.”

In the last week of December 2024, Ramakrishna gave a formula to Anil on how to prepare Ephedrine and supplied raw materials like Toluene, Bromine, Acetone and also transferred cash of Rs 8 lakh through online and bank transfers. With that money Anil purchased remaining raw material - Sodium Hydroxide flakes, HydroChloric Acid, Acetic Acid, Sodium BoroHydride. “Based on the formula provided by Ramakrishna, Anil completed the process. After three stages of processing, the final product Ephedrine was ready. They got about 220 kg of Ephedrine drug and dumped the same in the residential flat of Ramakrishna in Spring Field Colony, Jeedimetla.”

The accused Ramakrishna, Anil, Venkata and Prasad sought the help of Dorababu, friend of Anil in getting prospective buyers. EAGLE was keeping a silent watch on old drug offenders. Ramakrishna came under the scanner and based on the industries he visited; EAGLE was discreetly watching him. On October 9, when the conspirators had gathered at Flat, the EAGLE team struck and caught hold of four key conspirators and seized 220 kg of Ephedrine drug. Moreover, the manufacturing unit – PNM Life Sciences was seized. No Lease Deed, Minutes of Board Meeting, bank transactions, IVs and RVs are maintained by the industry owners. This clearly shows their deep involvement in the manufacture of ephedrine, said police.

Side effects of ephedrine – it is a highly addictive drug. Taking Ephedrine has multiple effects on the human body. It causes anxiety, insomnia, dizziness, shivering, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, weight loss, etc.