Alprazolam scandal: Clandestine drug factory busted; ₹22 crore worth medicine seized

Ziraat Times News Desk

Valsad: In a major crackdown on synthetic drug manufacturing, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has dismantled a multi-state drug network by busting a clandestine factory in Valsad, Gujarat, under “Operation White Cauldron.” The raid led to the seizure of Alprazolam worth ₹22 crore and the arrest of four individuals, including financiers, manufacturers, and the intended recipient of the consignment.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, DRI officers mounted discreet surveillance on a facility located in a remote area off the Gujarat State Highway 701. On November 4, a coordinated raid was launched, uncovering a fully operational industrial-scale manufacturing unit engaged in producing Alprazolam, a psychotropic substance regulated under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.

The search led to the recovery of:

• 9.55 kg of finished Alprazolam,

• 104.15 kg of semi-finished product,

• 431 kg of raw materials, including key chemicals such as p-Nitrochlorobenzene, Phosphorous Pentasulfide, Ethyl Acetate, and Hydrochloric Acid, and

• A complete industrial setup with reactors, centrifuge, refrigeration units, and heating mantles used in large-scale drug synthesis.

According to officials, two main accused involved in manufacturing and financing, along with an employee aiding production, were arrested on-site. Another individual from Telangana, identified as the intended recipient of the drugs, was also apprehended.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the seized Alprazolam was meant for illicit use in toddy preparation in Telangana. The DRI noted similarities with an earlier case in August 2025, when an Alprazolam unit was busted in Atchuthapuram, Andhra Pradesh, and 119.4 kg of the substance destined for Telangana was seized.

This latest operation marks the fourth successful dismantling of illegal drug manufacturing units by DRI in 2025. Officials said the agency remains committed to safeguarding public health and supporting the Government’s Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, which aims to curb the spread of narcotic and psychotropic substances across India.