Pharma firm COO held by CIU for smuggling ‘IS drug’

First India Bureau

Mumbai: A top official from a pharma company in Bengaluru has been arrested by the Mumbai Customs department’s Central Intelligence Unit (CIU) for allegedly smuggling Tramadol, a scheduled drug in India, to Sudan earlier this year.

A recent interception by the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU) at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport has revealed a major drug smuggling attempt.

The consignment, which was declared as Tamol-X, a calcium carbonate tablet, was found to contain 10.5 lakh tablets of Tramadol, a highly addictive pain medication. The interception occurred on February 23, and customs officials stated that the smugglers went to great lengths to conceal the drugs.

A potent painkiller in high demand on the black market, Tramadol carries the dubious distinction of being used by soldiers of the Islamic State (IS) while on the battlefield.