Fri Jan 02 01:45:00 UTC 2026: Summary:
The article details two recent drug busts in Telangana, India, revealing how drug manufacturing operations were concealed within ordinary settings. In Bowenpally, Secunderabad, a school was used to manufacture alprazolam, while in Cherlapalli, a chemical factory masked a large-scale mephedrone production unit. The investigations involved multiple agencies and highlighted the challenges of detecting drug operations that operate in plain sight, exploiting the normalcy of schools and factories to avoid suspicion. The investigations led to multiple arrests and unearthed international connections, underscoring the scale of the problem.
News Article:
Drug Labs Disguised as School, Factory Uncovered in Telangana, India
Hyderabad, India – January 2, 2026 – A shocking series of drug busts in Telangana has revealed the audacious tactics employed by drug manufacturers, who are using ordinary establishments to conceal their illegal operations.
In a brazen scheme, Medha School in Bowenpally, Secunderabad, was found to be operating a clandestine alprazolam manufacturing lab within its premises. According to the Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE), the school’s director, Malela Jaya Prakash Goud, exploited the normalcy of a functioning school to evade suspicion for approximately nine months. The building was compartmentalized, with classrooms operating alongside the drug lab, effectively blending the illicit activity with everyday school life.
Just days earlier, another significant discovery was made in the Cherlapalli industrial area, where Vagdevi Laboratories, a seemingly legitimate chemical factory, was found to be a front for large-scale mephedrone production. The operation was uncovered after a drug arrest in Maharashtra led investigators to the factory. The raid revealed a substantial quantity of mephedrone, precursor chemicals, and specialized equipment, potentially worth billions of Rupees.
These cases highlight the growing challenge faced by law enforcement in identifying and dismantling drug networks that operate in plain sight. “What makes cases like these so difficult is that nothing looks criminal at first glance,” said a senior officer involved in the investigations. “These are fronts hiding in plain sight, and that is what complicates enforcement.
The EAGLE Force of Telangana, along with other agencies, has been actively targeting both local and international drug networks. The investigations have led to numerous arrests, revealing connections to drug markets in Mumbai, Dubai, and Europe. The cases underscore the ingenuity and adaptability of drug traffickers, who are constantly finding new ways to conceal their operations and evade detection.
First Piper 