The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has busted an illegal drugs manufacturing unit in Bollarum, IDA in Hyderabad. Authorities have seized 179 kg of Ephedrine worth more than Rs 5 crore.

The raid took place on Tuesday evening according to authorities. However, they informed the media about the raid on Wednesday.

According to reports, the value of the drugs in the international market could be over Rs 5 crore.

Ephedrine is a Schedule-A controlled substance under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance (NDPS) Act 1985. It is a chemical precursor in manufacturing methamphetamines, which are party drugs.

The DRI has seized the drugs and other raw materials found in the premises. Without disclosing the identities of the accused, the department said that they have arrested two persons under the NDPS Act in connection with the crime and an investigation is in progress.

This is one of the major overhauls by the department. In similar raids in 2016 conducted in Auto Nagar, LB Nagar, 50 kg of ephedrine was recovered. Two people from a hotel in Hyderabad were arrested who had possession of the drugs.

In a joint operation carried out by Customs and DRI in August last year, officials seized 12 kg of ephedrine from a South African national when he was about to board a flight bound to Abu Dhabi. Reportedly, the accused had concealed the drugs in the baggage.

During the same time raids were also conducted at Kadapa, where 45 kg of ephedrine worth Rs 4.5 crore was seized.

Earlier this year, a major drug-scandal had rocked the state in which several Telugu actors including Charmme Kaur, Ravi Teja, Mumaith Khan and even director Puri Jagannadh were quizzed by the Special Investigation Team of Excise department. The kingpin of this scandal was named as Calvin Mascarenhas from Hyderabad.

Read: Tracking Calvin Mascarenhas: Middle class boy-next-door who turned into Hyderabad's 'drug kingpin'