A high-profile raid on Vagdevi Chemical Factory in Cherlapally has sparked a war of words between Telangana and Maharashtra authorities after massive discrepancies emerged in the reported value of seized narcotics. Maharashtra Crime Branch, which initiated the raid earlier this month based on intelligence inputs, declared that the operation had exposed a ₹12,000-crore drug racket. However, Telangana police and excise officials have firmly contradicted that figure, insisting the actual valuation is closer to ₹12 crore. The differing assessments have raised questions about whether the magnitude of the bust was exaggerated for publicity or due to hasty estimations.
Telangana officials provided a detailed inventory of the seizure to support their claim. According to them, the haul comprised 5,790 kilograms of drugs valued at ₹11.58 crore, along with 35,500 litres of chemicals worth ₹29.94 lakh, mobile phones valued at ₹1.5 lakh, and other materials worth ₹4.57 lakh. Altogether, the items do not exceed ₹12 crore. Excise authorities further clarified that none of the seized substances included mephedrone precursors—key raw materials required for synthetic drug production. While they acknowledged that Maharashtra’s Crime Branch played a crucial role in uncovering the illegal operation, Telangana officers questioned why the public announcement inflated the figures nearly a thousandfold.
The disagreement has now put Maharashtra’s stand under scrutiny. In fact, Telangana officials pointed out that Maharashtra police themselves mentioned the figure of ₹11.58 crore in their court report, contradicting their initial public claim of ₹12,000 crore. This revelation has intensified debates about accuracy and accountability in cross-state narcotics investigations. Despite the controversy, both states agree that the bust exposed a significant illegal factory and network, but Telangana insists transparency is vital to maintain public trust. The clash highlights the growing importance of coordinated action against drug cartels without political or sensationalist distortions.
