HYDERABAD: Prohibition officials on and excise officials arrested three smugglers and seized a whopping 155 kilograms of ephedrine during raids at three different locations, including a small illegal manufacturing unit at BN Reddy nagar, Cherlapally here the other day .
Task Force officials of the excise department said that based on a tip-off about possession of ephedrine, a contraband substance, they nabbed Ravinder Reddy from whom 78 kilo grams of the drug, packed in three bags, was seized.
On questioning, Ravinder claimed he works for one Venkateshwarlu and when the later was nabbed another 77 kgs of the drug was seized.
On questioning the duo, the officials discovered that one Malleshwar Rao, who runs an illegal manufacturing unit at BN Reddy Nagar, was actually chemically processing the needed raw material in making the finished ephedrine.
“Venkateshwarlu used to supply the needed raw materials to Malleshwar Rao, who in-turn used to make the drug,” the officials said.
“We seized 155 Kgs of ephedrinea Narcotic precursor (Chemical frequently used in the manufacture of illicit narcotic drugs and psychotropic substanceMethamphithimanecommonly called as Meth & Crystal).
When sold in the illegal market, the cost of ephedrine was about Rs 5 lakh per kg,” according to an official release issued by the director (Enforcement) Prohibtion and Excise, said.
