The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached immovable properties worth ₹4.79 crore in Telangana in connection with a money laundering case linked to the illegal manufacture and sale of alprazolam, a psychotropic drug. The action was taken under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
According to officials, the attached assets belong to multiple accused persons involved in the racket. These properties are located in different parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and were allegedly purchased using money earned from the illegal drug trade.
Case Background
The ED initiated its probe based on a case registered by the Gummadidala police station in Sangareddy district. The police investigation revealed that a group of individuals had been involved in the unlawful production and distribution of alprazolam for several years.
Investigators found that one of the main accused had been trading in alprazolam since 2014, initially acting as a commission agent along with family members. The drug was allegedly sold to toddy vendors, who mixed it with toddy to enhance its intoxicating effect.
Illegal Factory Setup
In 2023, the accused allegedly purchased a chemical factory in Bacharam village, Abdullapurmet area near Hyderabad. The unit was renamed and used to manufacture alprazolam illegally. The drug produced at the factory was supplied to different buyers, and the sale proceeds were shared among the partners based on their financial investments.
Money Trail
The ED investigation revealed that most of the proceeds from the illegal drug business were received in cash. The money was either directly used to purchase immovable properties or deposited into bank accounts of the accused and their family members before acquiring assets. These transactions were identified as “proceeds of crime” under the PMLA.
Earlier Raids
Search operations conducted earlier at several locations led to the seizure of incriminating documents, cash, foreign currency, gold bullion, and silver bars. These findings strengthened the ED’s case of large scale money laundering linked to illegal drug manufacturing.
Legal Action
With the attachment of properties worth ₹4.79 crore, the ED has frozen the assets to prevent their sale or transfer during the ongoing investigation. Further legal proceedings are expected against the accused under money laundering and narcotics related laws.
