ED charges Hyderabad firm in case of illegal Tramadol export to Pakistan

The Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) Hyderabad Zonal Office has filed a prosecution complaint against Lucent Drugs Pvt. Ltd. and its key executives in connection with the illegal export of the psychotropic substance Tramadol — a synthetic opioid — to Pakistan, in violation of the NDPS Act. The Special PMLA Court in Hyderabad took cognisance of the case on August 6.

The investigation began following a Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) complaint alleging illegal exports, contravention of NDPS Act orders, and forgery of records linked to export authorisations. Those named in the complaint include the company’s managing director Vinod Jain, associate vice-president Devarasetty Sai Vikas, logistics and sales executive Gangula Eswara Rao, and others.

According to the ED, the Lucent Drugs had been manufacturing and exporting Tramadol to various overseas clients, including those in Pakistan. While the company initially obtained clearance from the Central Bureau of Narcotics for exports to Pakistan, later approvals were denied. “To bypass the ban, the accused allegedly re-exported 13,800 kg of Tramadol worth about ₹4.12 crore to Pakistan through a Denmark-based company, CHR Olesen Pharmaceuticals, and 5,000 kg worth about ₹1.34 crore via Malaysia-based SM Biomed,” an officer from ED said.

The ED said that the illegal shipments generated proceeds of crime totalling ₹5.46 crore, which were routed into the company’s bank accounts and later mixed with legitimate business revenues to disguise their origin.

Earlier, the agency had attached the company’s immovable properties, including a building and factory premises, valued at ₹5.46 crore.