Hidden drug factory busted in Hyderabad school

A sudden raid by Hyderabad’s EAGLE anti-drug squad uncovered a clandestine Alprazolam manufacturing unit operating inside the premises of Medha School in Bowenpally, seizing large quantities of finished and semi-processed tablets, raw chemicals, production equipment and cash. Officials recovered about 3.5 kg of finished Alprazolam and roughly 4.3 kg of semi-processed material, along with machinery and around ₹21 lakh in cash.

Police arrested three people, including the school’s director, identified as Malela Jaya Prakash Goud, and two associates who handled transport and distribution. Investigators say the unit had been set up in secluded parts of the building, with some classrooms and the chemistry lab converted into production rooms to keep the operation hidden.

According to the probe so far, the manufactured Alprazolam was being funneled into local markets, including toddy depots and nearby districts, for quick cash sales. Authorities say the seized cash likely represents proceeds from recent sales, and they are now tracing the supply chain, suppliers of raw materials, and any wider network linked to distribution.

The discovery is shocking because it used an educational space as cover,a place meant for children became a hidden lab. Officials and parents are alarmed not only by the criminality, but by the safety risk to students and staff, given the toxic chemicals and uncontrolled processes that go with drug manufacture. The EAGLE team says the investigation is ongoing and more arrests or recoveries are possible as they follow leads.

This bust is part of a larger pattern: enforcement agencies in the region have recently uncovered multiple illegal Alprazolam units and massive seizures, showing how the drug’s clandestine production has scaled up and diversified locations. That trend helps explain why traffickers try unconventional covers,from closed factories to, alarmingly, school buildings,to avoid detection.

What stands out is the brazenness and profitability of the operation: setting up a small factory inside a school suggests operators counted on low scrutiny and fast turnover. As the probe continues, the priority for police is to map the network behind the school lab, identify buyers and suppliers, and ensure those responsible for permitting or turning a blind eye are held to account.