Chennai: Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials thwarted smuggling of psychotropic drugs worth Rs 8.8 crore to Malaysia through a container ship from Chennai port.
According to DRI officials, they received information about narcotic drugs being smuggled to Malaysia and mounted surveillance on consignments destined to Malaysia. On suspicion, a container was checked at the container freight station last Friday. The goods in it were declared as ‘ Sodium bicarbonate’, a chemical fertilizer.
However, on further checks, officials found about 44.2 kg of methaqualone and 5.9 kg of piperonal concealed in the fertilizer bags. Meth is a common party drug known as ‘Mandra’ while piperanol is a controlled substance used in the manufacture of MDMA or Ecstasy.
While Meth is listed under serial number 20, schedule to narcotic drugs and a psychotropic substance act, 1985 and is prohibited for export, piperonal requires a specific licence to export, DRI officials said.
The market value of the seized drugs is about Rs 8.84 crore in the international market, officials said adding that no arrests have been made so far in connection with the case. The addresses used in the consignment were all bogus. Further investigations are on.
