E-Paper
Gujarat ATS busts illegal Alprazolam manufacturing facility in Rajasthan, arrests 3
The raid was conducted by a joint team comprising the Gujarat ATS, the Rajasthan Special Operations Group, and the district police on December 28.
AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad has busted a factory in Rajasthan’s Bhiwadi industrial area for illegally making drugs such as Alprazolam, a psychotropic drug prescribed for anxiety and panic disorders, police said on Monday.
The raid was conducted by a joint team comprising the Gujarat ATS, the Rajasthan Special Operations Group, and the district police on December 28. Police said the search at the facility in the RIICO Industrial Area of Bhiwadi in Tapukara taluka led to the seizure of around 5 kg of Alprazolam and nearly 17 kg of a mixture of Prazepam and Temazepam.
A case has been registered at Bhiwadi Phase-3 (UIT) Sector-3 police station under Sections 8 and 22 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
“Three persons were arrested on the spot. They have been identified as Anshul Anilkumar Shastri, 40, a resident of Agra in Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Parasnath Maurya, 41, and Krishnakumar Shrei Yadav, 33, both residents of Tapukara in Rajasthan,” the ATS said.
Citing a preliminary inquiry, police said Shastri operated a firm named Ansh Trading, through which raw materials were allegedly procured for the illegal manufacture of Alprazolam. Shastri and Maurya allegedly handled the procurement and logistics, while Yadav oversaw the production at the Bhiwadi facility.
The medicines were allegedly supplied to a person identified as Sunny Yadav.
Police said further investigation is underway to determine how long the operation had been ongoing, the supply network, the money trail, and the possible involvement of other persons.
Earlier this month, Gujarat ATS also arrested six persons after busting a mephedrone manufacturing unit in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur district, and seized 40 kg of liquid mephedrone.
