PMLA court takes cognisance of ED case against Lucent Drugs for illegal Tramadol exports to Pak
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Hyderabad: The special court for PMLA cases in Hyderabad has taken cognisance of a prosecution complaint filed by the
Enforcement Directorate
against Lucent Drugs Private Limited and its top executives for allegedly exporting large consignments of the psychotropic drug Tramadol to Pakistan via Denmark and Malaysia, in violation of Indian export regulations.
On Aug 6, the court admitted the complaint after the ED's probe revealed that the company routed 13,800 kg of Tramadol, valued at ₹4.1 crore, to Pakistan through Denmark-based CHR Olesen Pharmaceuticals, and another 5,000 kg, worth ₹1.3 crore, through Malaysia-based SM Biomed. The agency has attached immovable properties worth ₹5.4 crore belonging to the company.
Tramadol, often referred to as the 'ISIS drug' due to its widespread misuse by ISIS fighters and for treating war injuries, is a controlled psychotropic substance under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
The ED's investigation began following a complaint from the Narcotics Control Bureau's Bengaluru zonal unit.
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According to the ED, Lucent Drugs and its officials, including managing director Vinod Jain, associate vice-president Devarasetty Sai Vikas, and logistics and sales executive Gangula Eswara Rao, forged records and export authorisations to carry out the shipments.
While the company initially obtained a no-objection certificate from the Central Bureau of Narcotics for export to Pakistan, the approval was later withdrawn.
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To circumvent the ban, the accused allegedly used intermediaries in Denmark and Malaysia to disguise the final destination.
The ED contends that the illegal exports generated ₹5.4 crore in proceeds of crime, which were channelled into Lucent Drugs' regular business accounts and projected as legitimate sales from other countries. These funds, the agency alleges, were deliberately layered to conceal their illicit origin.
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