CID initiates drive, seizes drugs being misused as intoxicants

The state CID’s Anti Narcotic Task Force (ANTF) has initiated a campaign to nab unscrupulous drug traders and seized psychotropic drugs misused as intoxicants.

Nearly 147 firms are manufacturing drugs, which, in some cases, are misused as intoxicants. A majority of the firms are located in the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh, Paonta Sahib, Kala Amb, Una, etc. Cases of intoxicants like Tramadol and Pregablin finding way into illegal markets have been coming to fore every now and then. This tendency is more pronounced in the border districts of Baddi, Solan, Sirmaur, Una, etc.

The state anti-narcotic task force (ANTF) has been tracing their network spread across various districts. “We are randomly inspecting firms manufacturing drugs misused as intoxicants to curb their nefarious trade. Drugs like Tramadol, which is used as an intoxicant, and Pregabalin, used in the treatment of anxiety disorder, neuropathic pain, seizures and epilepsy/seizures are being widely misused as intoxicants in the state,” informed an official of the ANTF which was spearing this campaign.

Fearful of backlash, a large cache of such drugs was found dumped on the road side on Handola- Peernigah road in Una district on Monday. The cache included various brands of Tramadol tablets comprising 44,508 tablets of Covitadol manufactured by Revantis Healthcare, Baddi; 5,400 tablets of Clowidol-100 manufactured by Scanova Pharmaceutical Private Limited, Roorkee; 10,000 tablets of Proxiohm spas capsules which is a combination of Tramadol, Acetaminophen and Dicyclomine tablets manufactured by McW Healthcare P Limited, Indore.

“Two drug firms of Baddi - Addii Biotech and Revantis Healthcare - are under the scanner in this case. The ANTF, in coordination with the drug authorities, are inspecting firms found involved in such dubious operations in the first phase. Subsequently, we will track their sale-related record to trace their network,” added the officer.

State Drugs Controller Manish Kapoor said that one of the two firms had previously figured in a nefarious drug trade at Agra following which it’s records were inspected.

Another significant seizure of drugs was made on August 8 at Rapid Relief Medicos, Una while investigating a previous case registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act by the state CID at Bharari in Shimla. The seizure comprised 24,103 tablets of Alprazolam, 192 capsules of Proxiohm-Spas (Tramadol 100mg), 56 tablets of Covitadol - 100 SR and 16 capsules of Proximo Spas.

The Una police arrested the accused Nitish Sharda after registering an FIR under various sections of the NDPS Act and further probe was underway.