Telangana battles courier-based drug trafficking and counterfeit medicines

Telangana faces a surge in courier-based trafficking of psychotropic drugs and counterfeit medicines from other states. TDCA raids seized Alprazolam, spurious Montek-LC, Levipil 500, and discovered Designer Drugs, prompting proposals to include NPS under the NDPS Act.

Hyderabad: Telangana is grappling with a unique challenge where sophisticated criminal networks from other Indian States are manufacturing and then illegally smuggling counterfeit medicines and psychotropic substances.

The inspecting teams of Telangana Drug Control Administration (TDCA) have indicated that the State is increasingly finding itself at the center of a complex battle against organized interstate drug trafficking.

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One of the most alarming trends identified this year is the rise of courier-based trafficking. In a major joint operation last June (2025), authorities intercepted a massive shipment of 1.2 lakh Alprazolam tablets worth Rs 4.32 lakh at a courier agency in Hayathnagar. Investigation revealed these psychotropic drugs were sent from Uttar Pradesh hidden among routine commercial parcels.

The crackdown did not end at the courier office. In a follow-up raid on the same day, officials discovered that these gangs are now using unlicensed residential premises as distribution hubs. Additional drugs worth Rs 5.21 lakh were recovered from a residence in Moosarambagh, Malakpet, highlighting how traffickers are moving their operations into quiet neighborhoods to evade detection.

Investigation revealed that these psychotropic drugs were being sent from Uttar Pradesh to Hyderabad via commercial courier services, hidden among routine parcels. Such instances highlight a deceptive shift in tactics by traffickers who are moving away from traditional transport to exploit the anonymity of high-volume delivery networks, DCA said.

TGDCA in its annual report said that by strengthening interstate coordination and conducting high-stakes decoy operations, it is working to close the gaps used by sophisticated gangs.

In addition to psychotropic substances, the state is also facing a surge in counterfeit medicines manufactured in other parts of the country and smuggled into Telangana.

Popular medications, such as anti-histamines like Montek-LC and anti-epileptic drugs like Levipil 500, have been found in spurious forms across Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

These counterfeit products are often expertly packaged to mimic reputed brands, posing a severe risk to patients who unknowingly consume ineffective or harmful substances.

Spurious versions of medicines like Rosuvas F 10 and F 20, meant for heart conditions and maintaining cholesterol levels, were seized in June from the Inderbagh-Koti area

In a chilling discovery, the DCA also detected the manufacture of ‘Designer Drugs’ or New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) within Telangana’s industrial areas. These synthetic psychostimulants, including MDPHP and Ethylpentedrone, were being exported to European destinations under the guise of regular chemical products.

As these substances have no legitimate medical use and high abuse potential, the DCA has formally proposed their inclusion under the NDPS Act.

By the Numbers: DCA 2025 Enforcement:

• Inspections Conducted: 28,816
• Total Seizures: 244
• Total Convictions Achieved: 217 Cases
• Worth of Drugs Seized: Rs 1.39 Crores
• Sub-standard (NSQ) Drugs Detected: 84