Operation White Hammer: DRI Seizes Rs 47 Crore Worth Alprazolam in Major Drug Bust

In a major action against illegal drug production, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has exposed a secret factory that was making Alprazolam, a psychotropic drug regulated under the NDPS Act, 1985. The factory was located in the Kondapalli Industrial Development Area in District NTR, Andhra Pradesh. The operation, called “Operation White Hammer”, took place on 11 and 12 March 2026.

The factory was pretending to be a chemical-manufacturing unit; however, it was producing Alprazolam on a large scale. During the raid, officials seized 237 kg of Alprazolam, worth about Rs 47 crore in the illegal market. They also found over 800 kg of raw materials, 2,860 litres of chemicals, and industrial equipment such as reactors, dryers, and a centrifuge, showing that it was a well-organised illegal manufacturing setup.

Initial investigations showed that the operation was run by a chemist with more than 20 years of experience in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry. He worked with another person who helped arrange raw materials and manage the distribution of the drug in Hyderabad. The two had rented the factory building to secretly produce the drug. Both main accused are now arrested.

During the current financial year, the DRI has shut down eight illegal drug manufacturing units through intelligence-based operations. These actions support the government’s Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, which aims to protect society from the dangers of narcotic and psychotropic drugs.