BENGALURU: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Bengaluru Zonal Unit, has arrested the director and four key employees of a pharmaceutical company in Telangana after it unearthed unauthorised re-export of 25,000 kg of Tramadol (psychotropic substance) to Pakistan and discrepancy in declared stock of around 3.85 kg of acetic anhydride. Tramadol and acetic anhydride are controlled under the NDPS Act, 1985.
“The NCB, BZU, searched the premises of Lucent Drugs Pvt Ltd, a pharmaceutical company in Sanga Reddy district, which manufactures integrated Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) and intermediates and is one of the key exporters of Tramadol,” said Amit Ghawate, zonal director, NCB, BZU.
“The NCB BZU has detected un-authorised re-export of 25,000 kg of Tramadol to Pakistan by this company in a year and discrepancy pertaining to the declared stock of acetic anhydride of around 3.85 kg,” said Ghawate.
“During the course of the investigation, documentary and digital evidence revealed that the company had obtained a No Objection Certificate for export of Tramadol to Denmark, Germany, and Malaysia only, but they had innovated a channel to re-export the drug to Pakistan without any valid permission. The company had suppressed the ultimate destination - Pakistan - and the re-export details. They have re-exported 25,000 kg Tramadol to Pakistan without any valid permission during 2021,” said Ghawate.