DRI seizes around 25 kg of Mephedrone worth around Rs 50 crore during raids on two clandestine manufacturing labs at Hyderabad, 2 arrested

The Directorate of Intelligence Revenue (DRI) officers busted two clandestine Mephedrone manufacturing labs at Hyderabad and neutralised the entire network by nabbing the mastermind and financer.  Officials of the DRI seized 24.885 kg of Mephedrone in finished form, valued at Rs. 49.77 crores in the grey market, along with in-process materials, sale proceeds of Rs. 18.90 lahks, key raw materials, machinery and vehicles used for trafficking.

Acting on the basis of specific intelligence, the Directorate of Intelligence Revenue started a swift and well-coordinated operation on 21st Dec 2022 and busted the two clandestine labs. Seven persons carrying out the manufacturing in these two locations were arrested and remanded to judicial custody.

In an immediate follow-up action, the mastermind and main financer of this activity were nabbed at Gorakhpur, as he was attempting to flee to Nepal with cash of Rs. 60 lakh.

It is pertinent to mention that some of the arrested persons are also accused in a 2016 DRI case for the clandestine manufacture of 236 kg Ephedrine at Indore; a July 2022 DRI case for the clandestine manufacture of 667 kg mephedrone at Yamuna Nagar; a case of escape from prison at Indore; a murder case in Hyderabad; and robberies in Vadodara. 

This coordinated action is in line with the exhortation of the Home Minister & Finance Minister to the officials, with emphasis on going after the big fish and catching main handlers and perpetrators/financers in drug cases.

Neutralising the clandestine labs and apprehending the entire drug syndicate has dealt a blow to their plans for committing nefarious activities in the wake of the new year and thereafter.

This is the second such factory bust carried out by DRI in the current financial year, following a similar case at Yamuna Nagar, Haryana, in July-August 2022. In this financial year alone (till November 2022), officers of DRI have seized about 990 kg of Heroin, 88 kg of Cocaine, 10,000 Methamphetamine tablets, 2,400 litres of Phensedyl cough syrup and various other harmful NDPS substances. DRI remains committed to safeguarding the nation’s health and tackling the challenge of narco-terrorism.

Disclaimer: This is an official press release by PIB.