Representative image for an arrest.
Credit: iStock Photo
Hyderabad: In a major breakthrough, Telangana's Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) busted a drug manufacturing racket and seized 220 kilograms of Ephedrine worth Rs 72 crore from a flat in Sai Datta Residency, Springfield Colony, Jeedimetla.
Four suspects, Vastavayi Shiva Ramakrishna Parama Varma (52), Dangeti Anil (31), Musini Dorababu (29), and Maddu Venkata Krishna Rao (45) were arrested, while one accused, Prasad, is absconding. The team also seized four mobile phones used in the operation.
Investigations revealed that the main accused, Shiva Ramakrishna, earlier arrested by NCB in 2017 and 2019, masterminded the illegal manufacture of Ephedrine at PNM Life Sciences, a chemical company in IDA Bollaram, owned by co-accused Venkata Krishna Rao and Prasad.
EAGLE teams acted on credible information and raided the premises when all accused gathered to finalise a deal. The factory has since been sealed for operating without valid records or documentation.
Officials said Ephedrine, a precursor chemical for Methamphetamine, is a highly addictive substance with severe side effects including anxiety, insomnia, and weight loss.