Hyderabad: Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized around 100 kg of alprazolam worth Rs 2.52 crore and arrested five in this connection on Thursday.

The substance was being manufactured illicitly from a factory at Parawada in Visakhapatnam. Drug kingpin Chand Pasha was manufacturing the drug with the help of technical expert David and three of his associates.

On a tip off, DRI officers conducted simultaneous raids at six locations in Visakhapatnam and Medak on Wednesday.

The accused frequently changed the locations for manufacturing. They paid Rs 14 lakh to one Sai Krishna, a resident of Vizag to find them the location to manufacture drugs for few days

“During the search in the factory premises at J N Pharmacity, Vizag it was found that the drug was being manufactured illicitly and it was seized under the provisions of Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act,” said Additional Director General M K Singh.

The accused frequently changed the locations for manufacturing. They paid Rs 14 lakh to one Sai Krishna, a resident of Vizag to find them the location to manufacture drugs for few days.

“After manufacturing, the accused used to supply the drug to toddy tappers for adulteration purposes,” Singh said.