Probe Into Excise Staff's Involvement in Alprazolam Smuggling

 Nizamabad: Involvement of Prohibition and Excise staff in smuggling of alprazolam has led to a sensation in Telangana.

It is known that Kamareddy has turned into a hub for smuggling of drugs from New Delhi and Mumbai into various districts of the state. Amid this, Telangana State Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TS-NAB) officials have taken into custody Kamareddy excise constable Ramesh and others on charges of smuggling.

There are no adequate palm trees in various areas of the state to produce sufficient amounts of toddy for consumption. As a result, toddy depot owners mix intoxicating drugs into toddy to produce a large number of bottles of the drink. Often, the drug of choice is alprazolam.

Usually, excise officials receive bribes from toddy depots and toddy shop owners to spare them from raids. Thus, excise constable Ramesh of Lingampet mandal himself smuggling alprazolam has come as a shock. Alprazolam from here is also transported to erstwhile Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Medak, Rangareddy and Mahabubnagar districts.

Top officials of prohibition and excise have ordered a detailed probe into the involvement of excise staff in smuggling of alprazolam. Its usage in toddy is also examined by the department.

TS-NAB officials are investigating links between excise personnel and smugglers in smuggling of the narcotic.

It is stated due to political pressures, excise officials are unable to prevent adulteration of toddy.