DRI seizes 121 kg alprazolam, arrest three

HYDERABAD: Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) sleuths raided and seized 121 kilos of chemical worth Rs 24.25 lakh from a chemical unit manufacturing psychotropic substance alprazolam illegally at Jeedimetla, on Wednesday night.
DRI sleuths arrested three people, including the firm owner, who were remanded to judicial custody on Thursday. The arrested are firm owner N Venkateswara Rao, chemist G Veerendra and buyer B Venkatesh.
According to DRI additional director-general, Hyderabad, MK Singh, the three confessed that they were involved in manufacturing and selling of the psychotropic substance, which is widely used for adulteration of toddy. In the past, Rao had sold the substance to customers in Nizamabad and Adilabad districts.