Hyderabad School Turned Into Drug Unit, Probe Underway

(MENAFN- IANS) Hyderabad, Sep 14 (IANS) Telangana's Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) on Sunday continued its probe into how a private school in Secunderabad here was turned into a narcotics manufacturing unit.

The premises of Medha High School in the Bowenpally area were being used to produce Alprazolam, EAGLE officials said.

During the raid on Saturday, the EAGLE team seized 3.5 kg of Alprazolam, 4.3 kg of semi-finished Alprazolam, Rs. 21 lakh in cash, large quantities of raw material, and manufacturing equipment.

The cash seized by the team is said to be the earnings from two days' sales of the drug.

EAGLE team arrested three accused, including mastermind Malela Jaya Prakash Goud, 39, a resident of Mahabubnagar and director of Medha High School.

Goud was running the school meant to educate children up to Class 7. About 130 children were enrolled in the school. The investigations revealed that the school was only a cover to avoid suspicion.

While the cellar of the building houses classrooms, the ground floor accommodates a bank and part of the first floor is also used for teaching.

Goud, who had previously run a toddy shop in Mahabubnagar, came in contact with Guruva Reddy, who introduced him to Alprazolam manufacturing.

He had set up a production facility in the back portion of the building and began distributing narcotics to toddy depots in Boothpur and the surrounding areas of the Mahabubnagar district for mixing with toddy.

He had even paid Rs. 2 lakh to Guruva Reddy for the manufacturing formula. Police said Goud was aided by his employees in running the trade.

P. Uday Sai, 23, a driver and G. Murali Sai, a transporter, were also arrested along with Goud.

The drug manufacturing facility was allegedly in operation for the last one year.

Acting on credible intelligence, the EAGLE team raided the premises, apprehended the accused, and seized evidence.

EAGLE officials were questioning the accused to identify and arrest other individuals involved in the network. An official said efforts were on to identify those who were supplying chemicals to Goud.

Alprazolam and other dangerous sedatives are mixed with toddy to give a kick. Alprazolam was found in the samples of toddy after adulterated toddy claimed the lives of nine persons and left 50 others ill in the Kukatpally area of Hyderabad in July.

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