New Delhi

The Delhi Police has busted an illegal factory involved in the manufacture and repackaging of spurious medicines and psychotropic substances near Patna, officials said on Monday.

The action followed an investigation into a case registered under the NDPS Act at the Crime Branch police station. The development comes days after two similar illegal pharmaceutical units were uncovered in Bihar.

According to officials, the breakthrough was achieved based on information obtained from earlier arrests and the interrogation of an accused identified as Arun, who was allegedly coordinating the illegal manufacture and distribution of opioids through clandestine drug units.

Acting on Arun’s disclosure, the Crime Branch team, in coordination with the local drug department, traced another accused, Brijesh, who was allegedly operating an unauthorised manufacturing and repackaging unit. A raid was conducted at the premises, where the factory was found functioning without a valid manufacturing licence and without mandatory technical staff such as manufacturing and analytical chemists.

“A massive haul of spurious tablets, syrups, machinery and packaging materials was recovered from the unit,” a senior police officer said, adding that legal proceedings have been initiated in accordance with due process.

Investigators suspect that expired medicines were being repackaged and circulated in the market through bogus medical channels at inflated prices, posing a serious threat to public health.

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With this operation, police have so far arrested nine persons in the wider case and recovered over 13 kilograms of Tramadol powder and more than 500 grams of Alprazolam, among other psychotropic substances. Efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend other members of the network, officials said.