Hyderabad: Two people arrested with chemical powder used to make psychostimulant drugs

Hyderabad: Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials on Saturday apprehended two persons who attempted to courier a white substance to New Zealand that tested positive for ephedrine/pseudoephedrine. These chemicals serve as precursors for the illicit manufacture of amphetamine and methamphetamine, collectively referred to as amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS). According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) include amphetamine-group and ecstasy-group substances. Amphetamine-group substances include amphetamine, methamphetamine and their derivatives, such as methcathinone, phenetylline and methylphenidate. Clandestine laboratories can make methamphetamine from readily available, inexpensive ingredients, commonly known as “speed”, “ice”, “crystal” and “glass”. Available in the form of tablets and powder, ATS is usually swallowed, snorted or smoked and sometimes even injected. Without giving details about the identity of the individuals and their origin, DRI officials said, “Based on specific intelligence, officers of DRI, Hyderabad Zonal Unit intercepted two individuals who had come to Hyderabad to book a package to be couriered to New Zealand. On thorough examination of the said package, two vacuum-sealed transparent packets were recovered.” According to the DRI official, both the packets contained a white powder, which tested positive for ephedrine or pseudoephedrine when tested with a field test kit. “We have seized packets containing three kg of ephedrine/pseudoephedrine worth Rs 60 lakh in the grey market, and we have arrested two persons under the provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985,” the DRI official said. Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine are classified as controlled substances under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act