In a major catch, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized over 2.5 tonnes Tramadol tablets, containing psychotropic substance, used by ISIS terrorists to suppress pain and to overcome fatigue, from a factory in Palghar near here.
Tramadol, a painkiller, is abused all over the world by drug addicts.
It is used as an opioid mainly by terrorists of ISIS to suppress pain and fatigue, official sources said.
These seized tablets were meant for illegal export to the Middle East and some other countries, they said.
India recently brought the drug within the ambit of the Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, making its production and sale without the approval of the Central Bureau of Narcotics, Gwalior, illegal.
Acting on intelligence, searches conducted yesterday by the DRI officials at the factory premises resulted in the recovery of Tramadol tablets and Tramadol powder, worth several crores of rupees in international drug market, an official statement issued today said.
Further searches conducted at a warehouse situated at Dronagiri, Raigad district, resulted in the recovery of 959 cartons containing 4,48,68,000 Tramadol tablets.
Thus, Tramadol tablets totally numbering 6,11,48,000 (2,708 kg or 2.7 tonnes) and 56.4 kgs Tramadol in powder form, which were manufactured and attempted to be cleared by the drug syndicate, were seized, it said.
The seized narcotics are worth at least Rs 50 crore in the international market.
The director of the factory and a chemist have admitted to their roles in the illegal manufacture of psychotropic substance in large quantity on behalf of a merchant exporter based in Haryana and were arrested, the DRI said in the statement.
Besides, a middleman, who had placed orders for such a huge quantity on behalf of the exporters and had paid him advance for procurement of raw materials, was also arrested, it said.
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