Telangana Cracks Down On Drug Supply Chain In 5-Day Ops, 83 Units Inspected

In a major crackdown aimed at curbing the illegal narcotics supply chain at its source, Telangana's EAGLE Force and the Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG-SAFE), carried out a five-day statewide joint operation.

The drive targeted the potential diversion and misuse of precursor chemicals and controlled substances regulated under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.

''The enforcement drive was planned following a high-level strategy meeting on September 1. Ten specialised multi-departmental teams, comprising Deputy Superintendents of Police, Drug Inspectors, Prohibition and Excise officers, and Central Intelligence/NCB personnel, were deployed for field operations," said R. Giridhar, SP (East), EAGLE Force.

Over five days, the joint teams inspected 83 URN-linked factories and industrial establishments across eight districts, Medchal-Malkajgiri, Yadadri Bhongir, Sangareddy, Ranga Reddy, Hyderabad, Kamareddy, Medak, and Nalgonda, he said.

Inspectors examined storage practices, procurement records and transaction details related to sensitive industrial chemicals such as Acetic Anhydride, Ephedrine, Pseudoephedrine, and Anthranilic Acid.

While these substances have vital pharmaceutical uses, they are often sought by illegal drug manufacturing networks. The focus on identifying unusual purchases, improper storage practices and any possible diversion of controlled chemicals, Giridhar said.

Officials said preventing the diversion of raw materials is crucial to tackling the production of synthetic drugs.

Instead of waiting for drugs to reach the market, authorities are trying to stop their production by monitoring the supply of raw materials, they said.

The EAGLE Force appealed to pharmaceutical and chemical companies to maintain proper records and comply with regulations governing sensitive chemicals. Companies were also urged to report any suspicious orders or activities to the authorities.