The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : 50 kg of ketamine seized for first time

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Saturday, Jul 05, 2008
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Tamil Nadu - Chennai

50 kg of ketamine seized for first time

Special Correspondent

Customs officials took a few hours to identify the right consignment

CHENNAI: For the first time, Customs officials at the Sea Port seized 50 kg of Ketamine Hydrochloride from a consignment meant for export to Malaysia and arrested one person. They are on the look-out for another person.

C. Rajan, Commissioner of Customs, Sea Port, said several seizures were effected by the enforcement agencies such as the Customs and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence at airports in south India, but the quantity of Ketamine never exceeded 25 kg. At the airport too, the highest quantity seized in a single concealment was not more than 25 kg.

There has been a great demand for the drug, especially in some Southeast Asian countries where it has been banned and is used as a party drug. Though it is made in several countries, the drug manufactured in India is said to be of the best quality. Hence, there is a great demand for the Ketamine from India, Customs officials said.

The drug is manufactured in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. A small quantity is pilfered from the manufacturing units. After gathering a sizeable quantity, smugglers try to take it out the country through airports and seaports. However, the enforcement agencies are unable to pinpoint the places from where the drug is procured, a Customs officer said.

Even in the case of the present seizure, Customs officials took a few hours to identify the right consignment. When they opened the compressors, they were surprised by the ingenuity of the smugglers: they concealed the drug in four compressors. The hollow portions in the compressors were covered with an aluminium cylinder, which was welded inside.

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