NCB seizes 69 kg Alprazolam in major Moula Ali drug bust

NCB Hyderabad seized 69 kg of Alprazolam and arrested three people during a raid on an illegal drug manufacturing unit in Moula Ali. Officials also recovered chemicals used for Ephedrine production, with contraband valued at Rs 17.40 crore.

Hyderabad: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) raided an industrial unit at Moula Ali and seized 69 kg of Alprazolam from the place.

Acting on specific intelligence about the manufacture of Alprazolam illegally, officers of the NCB, Hyderabad, raided the industrial chemical unit in IDA, Moula Ali, on Tuesday and apprehended three persons.

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“The search of the lab resulted in the recovery of off-white powder kept in two plastic drums. Apprehended persons identified the powder as Alprazolam, which they manufactured illegally in the lab. Total 69.600 kgs of Alprazolam was recovered from the two drums and seized as per NDPS Act,” said an official of NCB.

On questioning the apprehended persons, the officials came to know that one of the suspects had procured chemicals and solvents for manufacturing another drug, Ephedrine, in large quantities illegally without any licence, in the same lab. Raw materials being used for manufacturing Alprazolam and chemicals about to be used for Ephedrine were also seized, along with already manufactured Alprazolam.

The seized contraband has an estimated street value of Rs 17.40 crore in India, apart from the seized raw material value of around 20 lakhs. The arrested persons are a chemist, a raw material procurer and one of the receivers. Further investigation is in progress.

Investigation suggested that seized Alprazolam was to be sold to toddy shops in Telangana, which have high demand in summer. All three persons were arrested under NDPS Act 1985.

In the year 2026, Narcotics Control Bureau, Hyderabad, booked 9 cases so far and seized various drugs, viz. Alprazolam – 78 Kgs, Ganja – 1208 kgs, Charas – 2 kgs and Clobazam – 26 grams and arrested 24 persons in total.