Tamil Nadu pharma exporter arrested for smuggling psychotropic drugs overseas

CHENNAI: A pharma exporter was arrested by Chennai Air Customs for smuggling psychotropic drugs through postal parcels to overseas buyers using a fake name without authorization from the narcotics commissioner.

According to a release from Chennai Air Customs, working on a tip-off, sleuths intercepted two postal parcels suspected to contain psychotropic drugs which were destined for the United States at the Foreign Post Office.

The first parcel was found to contain 20 strips of Alprazolam concealed inside a cardboard packet wrapped with black carbon paper. A total of 300 tablets of Alprazolam were recovered. From the other parcels, 155 tablets of Lorazepam, Clonazepam and Diazepam were found concealed in a similar manner. A total of 455 tablets of psychotropic drugs were recovered and seized under the NDPS Act, 1985.

The parcels were destined for Gallatin and Alexander -- cities in Tennessee and Arkansas states of the United States and had been booked from Madurai. It was found that the parcels were booked by a person who is running a pharmaceutical export firm in Madurai which is exporting Ayurvedic, Siddha and allopathic medicines. The payments were received through Paypal. He has been arrested.

These are psychotropic drugs falling under Schedule ‘H’ & ‘H1’ of Drug and Cosmetic Rule 1945 and are also covered under the NDPS Act, 1985. For legal export of these drugs, a licence is required from the narcotics commissioner. These drugs belong to a class of medicine known as Benzodiazepine, which is used in the treatment of anxiety, seizures and panic attack. The abuse of these drugs is common among youth. Further investigation is in progress, the release added.