DRI seizes Rs 3 cr of banned drug

Chennai, Oct 27 (UNI) Directorate of Revenue Intelligence officials seized 30 kg of Ketamine Hydrochloride valued at Rs three crore in the international market here yesterday, DRI official said today.

DRI Additional Director General P Babu said acting on the information, sleuths intercepted an export consignment in a container meant for Taiwan and effected the seizure.

The consignment was booked as 'Coconut Shell Charcoal' in the name of a Chennai-based company.

On examination of the container, it was found the goods were stacked in 250 HDPE sacks. One of the sacks contained little charcoal while a yellow white polythene bag with aluminium foil packets had powdered Ketamine Hydrochlroide, a club drug and a banned substance in several countries.

Dr Babu said inquiries with the Chennai-based exporter revealed the consignment did not belong to them. They had been exporting only textile goods to Sri Lanka.

This is the third such seizure in the recent past after the officials confiscated 15 kg of Ketamine in two instances.

In one instance, it was concealed in wet grinders meant for Hong Kong while the drug was hidden in leather jackets meant for China in the second instance.

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