The bust was one of the largest ever seizures of Methaqualone tablets
Over 23,000 kg of Mandrax tablets, a brand name for the psychotropic substance Methaqualone, was destroyed by incineration this week.
An official statement said that a "record quantity" of 23,320 kg of Mandrax tablets seized two years ago was destroyed in a factory near Chittorgarh on July 24 and July 25. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence made the bust during a search of a warehouse in Rajasthan's Udaipur in October 2016. It remains one of the largest all time seizures of Mandrax tablets in the world.
The drugs were destroyed by incineration in a rotary kiln in the factory. "The disposal was conducted by the officials of DRI and Jodhpur Customs under the supervision of the high-level drug disposal committee," the statement said.
Methaqualone is a sedative drug which is sold as Mandrax in some countries and Quaaludes in the US. It became a popular party drug in the 1960s and 1970s. It is a banned substance under the Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substances Act.
The DRI recovered the drugs from a secret compartment in the warehouse in the Bhamashah Industrial Area in Udaipur. Eight people, including the mastermind Subhash Dudani, were arrested in relation to the case. Dudani had spread his business in Udaipur and Rasmand in Rajasthan, Kandla in Gujarat, and Mumbai, the statement said. He also had operations in Dubai and Hong Kong, it added.
Dudani would export the Mandrax tablets to African countries like Mozambique, Kenya and Malawi through export consignments of his firms, the statement said.
The drugs were stored in three shipping containers in secured premises of the Border Security FOrce in Udaipur after the seizure. The disposal took place after all legal procedures were completed, it said.
The destruction of the seized contraband completed "an important mandatory process" in the landmark case booked by DRI, it said.