DRI seizes 97 crores worth drugs in Hyderabad

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Monday seized drugs and raw material worth Rs 97 crore in Hyderabad.

According to DRI officials, acting on a tip-off that Mephedrone, a banned psychotropic substance under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act), was being illegally manufactured in the outskirts of Hyderabad.

The officers of DRI busted a factory and seized 142.6 kgs of Mephedrone valued at approximately Rs 28.52 crores and 31 kgs of Ephedrine, a controlled substance under the NDPS Act, valued at approximately Rs 3.1 crores.

Apart from the aforesaid drugs, raw materials which were procured for further manufacture of Mephedrone of around 250 Kgs worth Rs 50 crores, were seized from the factory premises, said the DRI officials.

One such consignment sent from Hyderabad was intercepted at Mumbai. The Mephedrone consignment had been cleverly loaded in a private passenger bus as cargo with no persons accompanying it, to ensure that even if the consignment was caught, no individuals could be linked to it. However, in a series of swift follow-up raids, the recipients of the consignment in Mumbai were identified and their premises including a drug manufacturing laboratory in residential premises raided by DRI, resulting in the recovery of Mephedrone and Ketamine ready to be distributed, in addition to samples of other psychotropic substances, clearly indicating a sophisticated distribution network both within the country and abroad, the officials added.

In an operation spread out over three days across multiple locations in Hyderabad and Mumbai, officers of DRI seized over 250 Kgs of drugs and raw materials. Further, cash of Rs 45,00,000 in INR, USD and EUR currency notes, was seized.

The DRI officials have arrested the mastermind, who was illegally manufacturing of the drugs, was arrested in Hyderabad and two persons were arrested in Mumbai. The officials also informed that the mastermind is a past offender and arrested by DRI in 2017, under the provisions of the NDPS Act and was enlarged on bail.

The syndicate had a well-established chain of supply both within and outside the country. The payment for the raw material and finished products took place through Hawala channels, informed the DRI officials.

( With inputs from ANI )