90 kilo psychotropic drugs worth Rs 9 core seized, 3 held

TNN / Updated: Mar 23, 2024, 10:21 IST

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DCA Telangana busted a drug unit in Bollaram based on an Interpol alert, seizing 90.48 kg of 3-MMC worth Rs 8.99 crore. The drug was also shipped to Europe. Multiple arrests were made in connection with the illicit drug manufacturing.

90 kilo psychotropic drugs worth Rs 9 core seized, 3 held

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HYDERABAD: Acting on an alert from the Interpol, the Drugs Control Administration (DCA), Telangana busted an illicit drug manufacturing unit, in Bollaram in Sangareddy district and arrested three people involved in the crime. Officials seized 90.48 kg of the psychotropic substance – 3-MMC (3- Methylmethcathinone) – worth Rs 8.99 crore from the chemical factory which, officials said, was also shipping the drug to several European nations.

The operation was jointly conducted by DCA Telangana and the state prohibition and excise department on March 20 and 21. The special teams conducted a surprise raid at PSN Medicare Private located in IDA Bollaram -- a chemical factory operated by its director, Kasthur Reddy Nemallapudi.
“During the raid officials detected manufacturing of illicit drugs at the site under certain code names…On verification of the orders received by Nemallapudi from several foreign nations and the sale transactions carried out by him, it was found that the material manufactured under code name ‘YLV01’ pertains to an illicit drug 3-MMC,” a release issued by DCA, Telangana stated.
The drug, it added, is listed under Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act) as a psychotropic substance and its manufacturing and sale is prohibited under the Act.

Prohibition and excise officers arrested Nemallapudi along with K Sudhakar Reddy, production manager and G Venkateswarlu, quality control incharge for illicit drug manufacturing and registered a case in Patancheru Excise Station under Section 8(c) r/w 22(c) of the NDPS Act. They were also found supplying the drugs to multiple locations outside India.
“Initially, a consignment was caught in Cyprus. The authorities there reached out to the government of India to know if it was a controlled substance or not…As part of our routine checks we crackdown on this unit,” said V B Kamalasan Reddy, director general, DCA.
The substance, 3-MMC, is illegally traded on the recreational drug market as an alternative to Mephedrone, the release stated.

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