Rs 88.4 crore worth of methaqualone and piperonal were being smuggled to Malaysia
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized drugs worth Rs 8.84 crore consigned to Malaysia at the Container Freight Station in Chennai, an official said.
Acting on specific information that a chemical substance was being smuggled to Malaysia through the Chennai sea port, officials of DRI Chennai unit inspected the consignment at the Container Frieght Station on December 15 and recovered 44.2 kg of Methaqualone a psychotropic substance used as a party drug, an official release said.
The container also had 5.9 kg of Piperonal, another substance used in the manufacture of ecstacy concealed in two bags in the container, the release said.
The value of the seized drugs were about Rs 8.84 crore in the international market, it said.
Methaqualone is a psycotropic substance and is listed under Schedule to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 prohibited for export.
Piperonal is a controlled substance under Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 and requires a specific license to export.
The preliminary investigation revealed that the person behind this attempt to smuggle the substance was 'absconding' and further investigation was underway, it added.