Psychotropic drugs worth Rs 60 crore seized by NCB

Ahmedabad, Aug 16 (PTI) In two separate raids in Vadodaraand Mumbai, the Ahmedabad Zonal Unit of Narcotics ControlBureau (NCB) has seized psychotropic substances priced ataround Rs 60 crore in international market. The raids were carried out last week at the premises ofDolphin Pharama in Vadodara and at KC Pharma in Andheri inMumbai, Ahmedabad-NCB director Hari Om Gandhi said today. "Our team first raided office and residential premises ofDolphin Pharma in Vadodara on August 9. We have recovered 9lakh tablets of various psychotropic substance, having streetvalue of Rs 50 crore in international market. We had arrestedcompany’s director Anil Luhar and manager Zahid Shaikh for theillegal possession of the drug," Gandhi told reporters. As per officials, these psychotropic substances includeOxycodone, which is used as painkiller; Zolpidem, used forinsomnia, and Alprazolam, a prescription drug to treat anxietydisorder. The company had not taken any licence for manufacture,storage of sale of the such drugs, he said. Since these drug formulations are also abused aspsychotropic drugs; the manufacturing, sale and possession ofthese substances are regulated under the Narcotic Drugs andPsychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, said Gandhi. "During interrogation of Luhar and Shaikh, we havelearned that the company have acquired some of the substancesillegally purchased from Mumbai based KC Pharma. Based on thisinformation, we along with Mumbai NCB raided the companypremises in Andheri and recovered another cache worth Rs 10crore," Gandhi added. The NCB also arrested company director Kishan Chaudharyand manager Murugan and brought them to Vadodara for furtherinvestigation. The duo along with Luhar and Shaikh are nowbehind bars, said Gandhi. "We are now investigation the modus operandi of theaccused as well as their links with drug dealers and othermanufacturers of India and abroad. It is very likely that somemore persons would be arrested soon," added the officer. The Ahmedabad Zonal Unit of NCB has jurisdictioncomprising Gujarat state and Union Territories of Daman andDiu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. PTI PJT PD NRBRCJSRE