Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officials on Friday said they uncovered a drug scam involving the export of 25,000 kg of psychotropic drug Tradamol that was scheduled to be exported to other countries and then re-routed to Pakistan without authorisation. The MD of a Telangana-based pharmaceutical company that manufactured the drug and four senior executives were arrested.
Acting on a tip-off, an NCB team of the Bengaluru Zonal Unit headed by Zonal Director Amith Ghawate searched the premises of Lucent Drugs Pvt. Ltd. in Sangareddy district of Telangana which manufactures integrated Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API), and is one of the key exporters of Tramadol.
“NCB Bengaluru detected unauthorised re-export of Tramadol to Pakistan by this pharma company to the tune of 25,000 kg in a year and discrepancy pertaining to the declared stock of acetic anhydride [a corrosive chemical compound] to the extent of around 3.85 kg,” said the bureau in a press release.
The chemical compound acetic anhydride is an important reaction agent for the illicit production of heroin.
The NCB added that documentary and digital evidence revealed that the company re-exported Tramadol to Pakistan via Denmark, Germany and Malaysia. “The company had suppressed the ultimate destination to Pakistan. The accused have obtained an NOC for the export of Tramadol to Denmark, Germany and Malaysia only and not to Pakistan. They have re-exported 25,000 kg Tramadol to Pakistan without any valid permission during 2021,” the probe revealed.
The MD of the pharma company, associate vice-president, and three more employees were arrested on Friday and remanded into judicial custody for violation of RCS order 2013 and under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.
