In one of the biggest hauls of narcotic drugs, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized about 23.5 tonnes of banned hypnotic Mandrax tablets worth over Rs 3,000 crore in the international market.
The counter-smuggling agency arrested a Mumbai-based mastermind of the drug ring after its sleuths raided and recovered Mandrax hidden at M/s Marudhar Drinks factory in Bhamasha industrial area of Udaipur in Rajasthan.
Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) chairman Najib Shah said at a press conference on Wednesday that the drug consignment was meant for exports to South Africa and Mozambique and was worth over Rs 3,000 crore in the global market.
“The drug, a depressant, overdose of which can lead to coma and death, is used as a recreational drug in Africa and Asia,” Shah told reporters.
Methaqualone, which is sold under the brand name of Mandrax in the Indian subcontinent, the UK and Africa and as Quaalude in the US, is a sedative and hypnotic medication abused by drug consumers.
It is a banned psychotropic substance under schedule I of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Rules, 1985.
During the search on October 28, DRI officers detected a hidden room filled with cartons of Mandrax tablets. The total number of tablets are estimated to be about two crore, sources said.
This is one of the largest seizures of Methaqualone, not only in India, but also in the world, claimed the CBEC in a press release.
After picking up the mastermind of the syndicate, the DRI is conducting a follow-up operation to nab other peddlers of the international drug syndicate.
The DRI said the major raw material for Mandrax is acetic anhydride, which was manufactured by the syndicate at Shreenath Industries, Rajsamand.
Other constituents for making Methaqualone are anthranillic acid, which was imported from Indonesia at Kandla Port by declaring it mallic anhydride, ortho toloudiene, phosphorus trichloride and caustic soda.
The agency in the recent past had unearthed 10 other factories manufacturing various types of synthetic drugs such as mephedrone, ketamine, alprazolam and precursor chemical like ephedrine.