Kachchh: Large shipments consisting of tablets of Tramadol have been seized by the Special Investigation and Intelligence Branch (SIIB) of Mundra Customs. 68,00,000 tablets of Tramadol have been seized, as per SIIB Mundra Customs. Total value of seized tablets is estimated to be around Rs 110 crores – based on International Street Value.
One of the shipments consisted of Tramaking and the other consisted of Royal-225 tablets. Both were destined for the African country of Sierra Leone.
Tramadol was notified as the psychotropic substance under NDPS Act in 2018, SIIB Mundra Customs said.
In recent times, Tramadol has been used by fighters in war torn areas in countries in the Middle East, Asia, and west Africa.
The present consignments, which were intercepted, were destined for Sierra Leone. The first shipment consisted of Tramaking 225 (Tramadol Hydrochloride Tablet 225 mg). The second shipment consisted of Royal-225 (Tramadol Hydrochloride Tablet 225 mg) and was seized in a warehouse.
The first shipment consisted of 26,26,000 tablets and was valued at Rs 40 crores. It was seized on July 27. The second shipment consisted of 42,24,000 tablets, valued at Rs 70 crores, and was seized the next day on July 28.
“Based on intelligence gathered by SIIB Mundra, one export consignment of a merchant exporter destined for Sierra Leone with declared description as Diclofenac Tab and Gebedol Tab was intercepted and examined,” SIIB Mundra Customs said.
Tramadol “is a psychotropic substance and export of tramadol is restricted under section 8(c) of NDPS Act, 1985. Follow-up searches are underway at Rajkot, Gandhinagar and Gandhidham,” they added. While the present shipments were destined for Sierra Leone, SIIB Mundra Customs said that the drug is also in high demand in African countries.
“Tramadol has gained notoriety in recent times 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.”
Further investigation into the matter is currently underway, they said.
