In Telangana, police uncovered two massive drug labs hidden in plain sight. At Medha School in Bowenpally, the director Malela Jaya Prakash Goud used classrooms and locked rooms to produce alprazolam, a highly addictive drug. The raid on September 13 last year seized 3.4 kg of finished alprazolam, 4.3 kg unfinished, and ₹21 lakh cash from just two days of sales. Goud had carefully disguised the lab amid school activities to avoid suspicion. Nearby, in Cherlapalli’s industrial area, a chemical unit named Vagdevi Laboratories was found manufacturing mephedrone on a large scale. Police seized nearly 5.8 kg of finished mephedrone, 35,500 liters of chemical precursors, and 950 kg of powder during a September 5 raid. They estimate the potential market value at ₹12,000 crore. Srinivas Vijay Voleti, the lab owner, was arrested along with another staff member. Investigations revealed links to interstate and international drug markets, including Dubai and Europe. The EAGLE force has arrested 7 out of 35 accused in these cases and opposes bail requests citing the large quantities involved. The raids also exposed a hawala network and a Nigerian cartel moving drug money abroad. Officers warn that these drug labs use ordinary places like schools and factories as fronts, making detection very challenging. "When everything appears routine, suspicion fades, intelligence dries up and the drug trade gets breathing space," said a senior officer. Telangana recorded over 2,500 NDPS cases last year and seized drugs worth ₹172.93 crore while targeting organized drug networks. The police say solving such cases needs patience, sharp intelligence, and sometimes luck.