DRI officials seize 237 kg drugs worth Rs 37 cr from illegal Alprazolam factory in Andhra, 2 held

Directorate of Revenue Intelligence officials busted an illegal Alprazolam manufacturing unit in Andhra Pradesh under Operation White Hammer, seizing 237 kg drugs worth Rs 47 crore, chemicals and equipment. Two masterminds were arrested, exposing a large-scale clandestine pharmaceutical manufacturing operation

New Delhi: DRI officials have seized 237 kg drugs worth Rs 47 crore and over 3.5 tonnes of chemicals from an illegal Alprazolam factory in Andhra Pradesh, and two persons have been arrested, the finance ministry said on Friday.

The operation codenamed “Operation White Hammer” was carried out on March 11 and 12, and revealed a full-fledged industrial setup for production of Alprazolam, operating under the guise of a chemical manufacturing unit.

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Searches on the premises resulted in the seizure of 237 kg Alprazolam with an estimated market value of Rs 47 crore, along with over 800 kg key raw materials, 2,860 litres of various chemicals, and industrial-scale equipment such as reactors, driers and a centrifuge, demonstrating an organised, large-scale clandestine manufacturing facility, the ministry statement said.

The accused had rented the factory premises for clandestinely manufacturing Alprazolam. Both masterminds have been arrested.

During the current financial year, DRI has dismantled eight clandestine drug manufacturing units through intelligence-based operations, the statement added.