HYDERABAD, MARCH 23, 2024: In a significant development in the ongoing battle against illicit drug manufacturing, the joint operation carried out by Drugs Control Administration, Telangana along with Prohibition & Excise Department and successfully busted illegal manufacturing of the Psychotropic Substances ‘Alpha-PiHP’ at Medchem Labs, IDA Bollaram, Sangareddy District and ‘3-Methylmethcathinone (3-MMC)’ at Vanamali Organics Pvt Ltd., IDA Mankhal, Ranga Reddy District.
During the joint operation, officials seized the stock of Alpha-PiHP of quantity 2.850 Kgs of worth Rs. 1.19 Crores during the raid at Medchem Labs and stock of 3-MMC of quantity 11.5 Kgs of worth Rs. 1.14 Crores during the raid at Vanamali Organics Pvt. Ltd. Stocks of total worth Rs. 2.33 Crores were seized during the joint operation.
‘Alpha-PiHP’ and ‘3-MMC’ are drugs of abuse which are circulating on the drug market and are illegally used as psychostimulant drugs.
In an official release here on Saturday, DCA Director-General VB Kamalasan Reddy said as part of the joint operation carried out by Drugs Control Administration, Government of Telangana along with Prohibition and Excise Department, Government of Telangana, regarding manufacturing of illicit drugs, the special teams conducted surprise raids at Medchem Labs, located at IDA Bollaram, Bollaram Village, Jinnaram Mandal, Sangareddy District, Telangana State, and at Vanamali Organics Pvt Ltd. located at IDA Mankhal, Maheshwaram Mandal, Ranga Reddy District, Telangana State on Friday and Saturday.
The stocks of material with code name ‘PIH’ detected at Medchem Labs which was found to be an illicit drug Alpha-PiHP (or) 4-methyl-1-phenyl-2- (pyrrolidin-1-yl)pentan-1-one which is listed under Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act) as a ‘Psychotropic Substance’ and its manufacturing and sale is prohibited under NDPS Act.
Officers detected stocks of quantity 2.850 Kgs of Alpha-PiHP at Medchem Labs, located in IDA Bollaram. Officials detected that Medchem Labs also exported the drug of abuse Alpha-PiHP to Netherlands.
Alpha-PiHP is a psychostimulant drug of cathinone class that has been sold online as a designer drug. The maximal stimulant effects were comparable to those found with Cocaine and Methamphetamine. As per the reports, Alpha -PiHP has been available on the drug market in Europe since at least 2016 and is administered by oral, intravenous or rectal routes, by nasal insufflation or by inhalation (vaping), inhalation after heating of foil has also been described. It is prohibited under NDPS Act in India by classifying it as a ‘Psychotropic Substance’. Prohibition and Excise officials seized the stock of Alpha-PiHP of quantity 2.850 Kgs of worth Rs. 1.19 Crores during the raid at Medchem Labs. Prohibition and Excise Department officers arrested Peddolla Sreenivas, Managing Partner of Medchem Labs.
A case has been registered in Patancheru Excise Station vide COR No. 39/2024 dated: 22-03-2024 under Section 8(c) r/w 22(c) of NDPS Act.
The stocks of material with code name ‘VOL007’ detected at Vanamali Organics Pvt Ltd. which was found to be an illicit drug 3-Methylmethcathinone (3-MMC) (or) 2-(methylamino)-1-m-tolylpropan-1-one hydrochloride which is listed under Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act) as a ‘Psychotropic Substance’ and its manufacturing and sale is prohibited under NDPS Act.
Officers detected stocks of quantity 11.5 Kgs of 3-MMC at Vanamali Organics Pvt Ltd., located in IDA Mankhal. Officials detected that Vanamali Organics Pvt Ltd., also exported the drug of abuse, 3-Methylmethcathinone (3-MMC), to various countries, primarily to Netherlands.
Vanamali Organics Pvt Ltd. has been manufacturing designer drugs such as 3-Methylmethcathinone (3-MMC) and 2-Methylmethcathinone (2-MMC), which are   structural isomers of Mephedrone 4-Methylmethcathinone (4-MMC), that have been designed to mimic the effects of the drug Mephedrone, with an intention to avoid classification as illegal (to circumvent drug abuse laws) and/or detection in standard drug tests. However the substance 3-Methylmethcathinone (3-MMC) is recently classified as a Psychotropic Substance under NDPS Act.
Prohibition and Excise officials seized the stock of 3-MMC of quantity 11.5 Kgs of worth Rs. 1.14 Crores during the raid at Vanamali Organics Pvt. Ltd. Prohibition and Excise Department officers arrested K.V. Rajagopal, Production Manager of Vanamali Organics Pvt. Ltd. A case has been registered in Maheshwaram Excise Station vide COR No. 13/2024 dated: 22-03-2024 under Section 8(c) r/w 22(c) of NDPS Act.
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