Two arrested for manufacturing mephedrone in Abdullapurmet; ₹1 crore worth drugs and equipment seized

Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription The View From India Looking at World Affairs from the Indian perspective. First Day First Show News and reviews from the world of cinema and streaming. Today's Cache Your download of the top 5 technology stories of the day. Data Point Decoding the headlines with facts, figures, and numbers Health Matters Ramya Kannan writes to you on getting to good health, and staying there The Hindu On Books Books of the week, reviews, excerpts, new titles and features. Two persons were arrested for allegedly manufacturing mephedrone at a clandestine unit in Abdullapurmet by the EAGLE Force, Hyderabad Narcotics Police Station, Abdullapurmet police and the Clues team on Thursday, June 11. The accused were identified as Keesari Matsyagiri, a businessman from Thirumalagiri in Suryapet district, and Nimmala Naresh, from Mothkur in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district. Police said 750 grams of mephedrone valued at ₹50 lakh was seized from them near Batasingaram Road in Abdullapurmet. This apart, chemicals, equipment and a Hyundai i20 car together valued at ₹50 lakh were also seized. According to investigators, Matsyagiri has a criminal history spanning more than a decade and is suspected to be associated with a drug manufacturing network operating across multiple States. Police said he had earlier worked as a chemist in Bacharam village, Abdullapurmet, where he allegedly learnt the process of manufacturing mephedrone after coming into contact with members of a drug syndicate. Investigators said the syndicate had been involved in setting up illegal drug manufacturing units in different parts of the country since 2015. The group allegedly operated factories in Gujarat, Haryana and Telangana and had previously faced action by various law enforcement agencies. Police said Matsyagiri was earlier arrested in connection with a Directorate of Revenue Intelligence case in which 136 kg of mephedrone was seized from a laboratory in the city in December 2022. A detention order under the PITNDPS Act was also issued against him in July 2023. After being released, Matsyagiri allegedly returned to drug manufacturing and, with the assistance of Naresh, procured a Hyundai i20 vehicle for transporting chemicals and finished products. The duo allegedly approached a watchman at a mango farm in Mothkur and rented an asbestos shed under the pretext of manufacturing facial glow powder. Investigators said the precursor chemicals and laboratory equipment were transported to the