NCB busts illegal drug lab in MP's Ratlam; tech, pharma graduates arrested

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has arrested two persons, a BTech and another BPharma graduate, after it busted an illegal narcotics manufacturing facility in Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam district, the agency said on Sunday.

The clandestine unit was preparing Alprazolam, a sedative drug, in the powder form at the laboratory located in Sejawata village on the Mhow-Neemuch Road in Ratlam, about 290 km from state capital Bhopal.

The drug lab was unearthed on Saturday with an NCB team seizing 13.76 kg Alprazolam, valued at around Rs 3.44 crore in the illicit market, the agency said in a statement.

Lab equipment and chemicals used in drug manufacture were also seized during the operation, it said.

Alprazolam is a regulated drug under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and is misused as a recreational drug.

Roop Singh Chauhan, 51, a BTech graduate and Abhijeet Singh Chauhan, 39, a BPharma graduate, have been arrested by the central agency, the statement said.

Roop Singh Chauhan was earlier arrested in a drug case in Telangana and was currently out on bail, it said.

According to the agency, Abhijeet Singh Chauhan was earlier associated with the Indian Red Cross Society in Ratlam and "partnered" with Roop Singh in some pharma and ayurvedic medicine ventures.

"Further investigation is underway to identify the supply chain, financial links, and potential inter-state connections of the accused," the agency said.

Alprazolam is also used to adulterate 'toddy' (country liquor) in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and for lacing heroin in Rajasthan, MP and adjoining areas in order to increase profit margins.