Illegal drug manufacturing unit dismantled in Telangana, drugs worth Rs 9 crore confiscated

Telangana Drugs Control Administration, in collaboration with Prohibition and Excise Department, busted an illegal drug manufacturing unit in Sangareddy district, seizing drugs worth Rs 8.99 crore. The unit was involved in manufacturing 3-MMC, a dangerous and highly addictive designer drug.

The operation was carried out on March 21 and 22, resulting in the seizure of 90.48 kg of 3-MMC from PSN Medicare Private Ltd. Director Kasthur Reddy Nemallapudi was arrested for his involvement in the illegal manufacturing and exporting of the drug to European nations.

TSDCA officials acted on an alert from Interpol about the illicit manufacturing unit. The chemical found, 2-(methylamino)-1-(3-methylphenyl) propan-1-one, pertains to the illicit drug 3-MMC. It is listed under the NDPS Act as a ‘psychotropic substance’ and its manufacturing and sale is prohibited.

Nemallapudi had been manufacturing designer drugs such as 3-MMC and 2-MMC to mimic the effects of Mephedrone (4-MMC) while avoiding detection in standard drug tests. 3-MMC was recently classified as a psychotropic substance under the NDPS Act and is illegal in most countries, including India, where it was being illegally traded as an alternative to Mephedrone.

TSDCA’s DG Kamalasan Reddy stated that 3-MMC is a strong stimulant and recreational drug with amphetamine-like properties. It is found in white powder or crystal form and is mostly sold online as a “research chemical”. The drug is commonly administered through insufflation, oral consumption, inhalation, and intravenous injection.