Opium and Alkaloid Works

The Opium and Alkaloid Works (OAW) is an Indian government-owned company located in the city of Ghazipur and the town Neemuch.^[1]

Products

The enterprise's two factories specialize in the production of opium and the extraction of related alkaloids (such as Codeine phosphates, Morphine salts, Dionine, Morphine Hydrochloride, Thebaine,^[2] and more). It is the country's largest producer of opium-related products.^[1]

Factories

Ghazipur factory

The Ghazipur factory began life as the Benaras Opium Agency,^[3] an entity of the East India Company, in 1820. The opium processed at Ghazipur was sent to Calcutta (now known as Kolkata) for auction, then shipped to the south China coast and smuggled into the country via the port of Canton (now known as Guangzhou). In 1945, the factory began extracting alkaloids in addition to processing opium.^[1] The Ghazipur opium factory is mentioned in the novel "Sea of Poppies" by Amitav Ghosh. More recently both the Ghazipur and Nimach factories are referred to as sources of illegal smuggling for opium manufacture in the movie "Udta Punjab" (2016). The Nimach, also known as Neemooch opium factory is known to have the largest opium receptacle in the world, resembling a large backyard swimming pool. It holds 450 tons of opium. The contents of the vat are stolen in the anti-heroin novel "White Monsoon First Edition" by Scott Nelson. In the novel, White Monsoon is a codename for a 1992 plot by Libyan terrorists to flood Main Street USA with bargain-basement-priced heroin.

Neemuch factory

The Neemuch factory was founded in 1933. In 1976, it began extracting alkaloids in addition to processing opium. The Nimach factory, also known as Neemuch factory, is an acronym for Northern India Mounted Advanced Cavalry Headquarters. The opium factory is known to have the largest opium receptacle in the world, resembling a large backyard swimming pool. It holds 450 tons of opium. The contents of the vat are stolen in the anti-heroin novel "White Monsoon First Edition" by Scott Nelson. In the novel, White Monsoon is a codename for a 1992 plot by Libyan terrorists to flood Main Street USA with bargain-basement-priced heroin.^[1]

Organization

After 1976, the Chief Controller of Factories, currently Ms Ranjana Jha IRS,^[3] replaced the Narcotics Commissioner of India as head of the OAW.^[1]

Workforce

The enterprise employs 1,432 people.^[1]

Security

Security is managed by members of the Central Industrial Security Force, with 123 assigned to the Ghazipur factory and 104 to Neemuch.^[1]

See also

• Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and Protocol Amending the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (includes "Article 21" — Limitation of Production of Opium)

Notes