Telangana Pharma Firm Nabbed in Tramadol Smuggling Scandal to Pakistan

The Enforcement Directorate attached assets of Lucent Drugs Pvt. Ltd. under anti-money laundering laws, accusing the Telangana-based firm of illegally exporting over 18,000 kg of Tramadol to Pakistan. Investigations revealed compliance violations and improper documentation in exporting this controlled substance, which is being misused by terrorist groups.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized assets from Telangana-based pharmaceutical company Lucent Drugs Pvt. Ltd. for allegedly exporting over 18,000 kg of Tramadol illegally to Pakistan, violating anti-money laundering laws. The ED valued the attached assets at Rs 5.67 crore.

According to the ED, the money laundering case traces back to a complaint by the Narcotics Control Bureau, which accused Lucent Drugs of flouting psychotropic substances regulation laws. The drug Tramadol, often misused by terrorist organizations, is tightly controlled in India.

Lucent Drugs initially secured export permission via a no-objection certificate from the Central Bureau of Narcotics, which was later revoked. Despite this, the company unlawfully rerouted Tramadol through Denmark and Malaysia-based firms, thus receiving illicit export funds amounting to Rs 5.46 crore, the ED stated.