The Gujarat ATS has successfully intercepted a drug smuggling operation at Mumbai airport, seizing 22 kg of etomidate disguised as aloe vera powder destined for Malaysia, highlighting the ongoing efforts to combat international narcotics trafficking.
Key Points
- Gujarat ATS seized 22 kg of etomidate, an analgesic drug, disguised as aloe vera powder at Mumbai airport, destined for Malaysia.
- Etomidate, misused for recreational purposes, is sold for USD 4,000-5,000 per kg in foreign markets.
- Three individuals from Surat were arrested for mislabelling and exporting etomidate to Southeast Asia.
- The accused used fake bills and forged customs documents to export the drug via air cargo from Mumbai airport.
- Etomidate is a controlled substance in Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore, classified under their respective drug laws.
The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist (ATS) Squad has seized 22 kg of analgesic drug etomidate disguised as aloe vera powder at Mumbai airport while it was being exported illegally to Malaysia through air cargo, officials said on Tuesday.
The seizure comes days after the ATS arrested three persons in this connection.
Etomidate, a short-acting anaesthetic, is increasingly being misused for recreational purposes. Its rapid dissociative effects and minimal cardiorespiratory suppression appeal to adolescents, especially when repackaged into e-liquids that enable inconspicuous vaping, according to The Lancet journal website.
The drug was sold in foreign markets at an estimated USD 4,000 to 5,000 per kilogram, the ATS said.
Arrests and Investigation Details
Three persons -- Nikunj Gadhiya, Chetan Vavadiya and Bhautik Padmani, all residents of Surat -- were arrested on Sunday following an input that some individuals were exporting the analgesic drug to countries in Southeast Asia, where the substance is treated as a narcotic or psychotropic substance under local laws, it said.
"During search and inspection at the offices of companies of the three accused, purchase bills of etomidate and stock registers were examined, which confirmed that they were mislabelling and misdeclaring etomidate and exporting it to foreign countries," the ATS said in a statement.
Further, on questioning Gadhiya, it came to light that on February 28, he had arranged to send six parcels with a total weight of 25.5 kilograms, out of which 22 kg was etomidate, to Malaysia through air cargo, it said.
These parcels were examined in Mumbai by police using a spectrograph drug detector kit, which confirmed the presence of etomidate and the drug was seized. The said parcels had been misdeclared and mislabelled as aloe vera powder samples before being sent, it added.
Modus Operandi
The ATS had earlier said the three accused exported the drug through air cargo from Mumbai airport by preparing fake bills, mislabelling the product and submitting forged customs clearance documents.
Gadhiya had exported around 50 kg of etomidate by disguising it as aloe vera powder. Vavadiya sent nearly 50 kg of the drug by labelling it as "Ginopol-24 powder", a personal care ingredient, to Malaysia and Thailand, while Padmani is accused of exporting 25 kg of etomidate by mislabelling it as aloe vera powder, it said.
The etomidate powder sent to Thailand was seized by the police there, an ATS release said.
Etomidate Regulations in Southeast Asia
Etomidate powder is treated as a controlled or prohibited substance in several countries. In Thailand, it is classified as a Schedule II substance under the Psychotropic Substances Act, while in Malaysia, it is listed as a Group B drug under the Poisons Act. In Singapore, it falls under Class C drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
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