After smuggling over 40 lakh 'ISIS Drug' Tramadol tablets, pharma firms busted

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Ahmedabad on Thursday claimed it has busted two pharmaceutical firms based in Surat and Vapi in South Gujarat and seized 15.20 lakh tablet of Tramadol notorious as "ISIS drug" for it has been reportedly used by ISIS terrorists for fighting pain and fatigue. It has been found that the suspected firms had already smuggled 44.80 lakh tablets in recent past.

The officials have also arrested three suspects identified as Mehul Desai, Harshal Desai, who are directors of the firms, and one Shameshwar who is said to be the chemist involved in the offence. The suspect directors have reportedly confessed to have smuggled consignments of Tramadol worth over Rs 4 crore in recent past. Despite repeated attempts, Principal Additional Director General, DRI, Ashish Varma didn't respond to calls and text message.

DRI officials said that the two firms based in Surat and Vapi (Valsad district) were involved in "illicit manufacturing and export of Tramadol, a psychotropic substance under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act, 1985." They said that a secret information had been received about the two companies smuggling a consignment at Hazira port in two containers." The consignment was supposed to be shipped to Conarkry port, Guinea.

"On examination of the containers, 15,20,000 tablets of Tramadol, worth Rs.122 crore, were found to be concealed with other pharma products such as ORS, multi-vitamins, etc. Searches were also conducted at the factory of the pharma companies where manufacturing of the said psychotropic substance had taken place and packaging was done. During the search, stock of other drugs was also taken in which it was found that other controlled substances-Ephedrine and Pseudoephedrine had also been diverted from the factory for illegal use of such products," the DRI has said in a statement.

In the search, nearly 175 kg of Ephedrine and Hydrochloride IP and 137 kg of Pseudoephedrine Hydrocholoride were found short from stock, which the director of the company reportedly admitted to have been smuggled. Officials also claimed that "the director has also admitted to have exported approximately 44.80 lakh tablets of Tramadol (having market price of 3.58 crore) illicitly concealed it in their earlier cleared export consignment."

DRI has said in the statement that Tramadol, a synthetic opioid drug, "is popular and in high demand in African nations like Nigeria, Ghana etc. where a large section of population is addicted to this drug. Due to its high international demand it commands a high price in international market."

It adds further that "This drug was reportedly also very popular among ISIS terrorists in the war-zones of Middle-East. ISIS fighters used this drug to overcome pain and fatigure. That is why it is sometimes called “”Fighter Drug.” Following reports of its misuse, the government in April 2018 included the drug into schedule of psychotropic substance under the NDPS Act, 1985. Since then, the DRI had filed two cases, both in south Gujarat.