Hyderabad: In a major bust, the Telangana Drugs Control Administration (DCA), based on an alert received from INTERPOL, uncovered the illegal manufacturing of illicit drugs and its export (abuse) to several European nations.
90 kilograms of the banned ‘3-MMC’ was found in a joint operation along with officials from the Prohibition and Excise Department on Thursday, March 21.
The DCA and Excise teams raided PSN Medicare Private Ltd. at IDA Bollaram, Jinnaram Mandal, Sangareddy district, which is a chemical factory operated by Kasthur Reddy Nemallapudi.
The accused is also the director of the company. Officials detected the manufacturing of illicit drugs at the site under certain code names.
According to the DCA, material stocks with the code name ‘YLV01’ were detected at the site. The said material ‘YLV01’ was manufactured there without any batch manufacturing records or production logs, creating suspicion. Officers found stocks of 90.48 kilograms of YLV01 powder in the manufacturing site.
On verification, DCA officials found that Kasthur Reddy Nemallapudi received orders from several foreign nations and that he carried out sale transactions. “The material was manufactured under the code name ‘YLV01’ and is chemical “2-(methylamino)-1-(3- methylphenyl)propan-1-one”, said V B Kamalasan Reddy, director general of the DCA.
The chemical name 2-(methylamino)-1-(3- methylphenyl) propane-1-one pertains to an illicit drug 3-Methylmethcathinone, popularly known as 3-MMC which is listed under Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act) as a ‘Psychotropic Substance’ and its manufacturing and sale are prohibited under NDPS Act.
According to the DCA Kasthur Reddy Nemallapudi has been manufacturing and supplying the illicit drug 3-Methylmethcathinone (3-MMC) under the chemical name 2-(methylamino)-1-(3- methylphenyl) propan-1-one.
Officials detected that Kasthur Reddy Nemallapudi also exported 3-Methylmethcathinone (3-MMC) to European nations.
Kasthur Reddy Nemallapudi has been manufacturing designer drugs such as 3-Methylmethcathinone (3-MMC) and 2-Methylmethcathinone (2-MMC), which are structural isomers of Mephedrone 4 Methylmethcathinone (4-MMC), that have been designed to mimic the effects of the drug Mephedrone, with an intention to avoid classification as illegal (to circumvent drug abuse laws) or detection in standard drug tests.
However, 3-Methylmethcathinone (3-MMC) was recently classified as a Psychotropic Substance under the NDPS Act. 3-MMC which is closely related in structure to the illicit drug mephedrone (4-MMC), was first identified as being sold in Sweden in 2012 and is also illegal in most countries that have banned Mephedrone, including India.
However, 3-MMC is illegally traded on the recreational drug market as an alternative to Mephedrone. There were reports that it was being imported into Europe in bulk quantities, mainly from India. Hence it is prohibited under the NDPS Act in India by classifying it as a ‘Psychotropic Substance’.
3-MMC is a strong stimulant recreational drug, said the DCA. Reports suggest that 3-MMC has stronger amphetamine-like stimulant properties compared to Mephedrone and is mostly sold on the internet as a “research chemical”. This novel designer drug is usually found in the form of white powder or crystals.
The most frequently used routes of administration of 3-MMC are insufflation (snorting) and the oral route, either as capsules or powder wrapped in cigarette paper (referred to as “bombing”). Inhalation and intravenous injection are also used, he added.
Prohibition and Excise officials seized the stock of 3-MMC of quantity 90.48 kg worth Rs 8.99 crores during the raid.
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