After the Special Intelligence and Investigation Branch (SIIB) of Mundra Customs seized a consignment of narcotics worth ₹110 crore a month ago, another consignment of banned medicines was seized.
The SIIB again found a total of 25,60,000 stocks of illegal tramadol medicines worth ₹41 crore from Mundra port.
Earlier on July 28, based on a tip-off, two consignments of a Rajkot-based trader, destined for Sierra Leone and Niger, were intercepted and examined.
A detailed examination revealed boxes containing undeclared medicine strips, both ‘Tramakeing 225’ and ‘Royal-225’, both containing Tramadol Hydrochloride 225 mg, an opioid.
Following the incident, the customs department initiated a probe in Rajkot, Gandhinagar, and Gandhidham after intercepting two export consignments from Rajkot destined for West Africa.
Tramadol has gained notoriety in recent times as the “Fighter Drug” after it was reported that ISIS fighters used it to stay awake for long hours. It is also reported that this synthetic opioid drug is popular and in high demand in African nations like Nigeria, Ghana, etc, according to a government release.
It is a psychotropic substance and its export is restricted under section 8(c) of NDPS Act, 1985. Tramadol was notified as a psychotropic substance under the NDPS Act in 2018.