The Narcotics Control Bureau has secured a conviction against a Haryana-based pharmaceutical company and its officials for illegally diverting pseudoephedrine, a key precursor for methamphetamine, through Gujarat's Pipavav Port. The case involved falsified records and export to Africa, leading to seven-year prison sentences. This ruling highlights efforts to curb transnational drug trafficking.
In a significant operation against drug precursor diversion, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Ahmedabad Zonal Unit investigated a case involving M/s Alps Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., based in Sonipat, Haryana. Acting on intelligence received in March 2023, NCB intercepted a container at Pipavav Port in Gujarat, bound for Africa. The shipment from ICD Panchi, Sonipat, contained about 60 lakh pharmaceutical capsules declared to include ephedrine or pseudoephedrine.
Examination revealed three products: ALPCIT, which legitimately contained pseudoephedrine; and COLDFIT and T-DOL, falsely labeled as such. Investigations uncovered that approximately 6 kg of pseudoephedrine, recorded as used in manufacturing COLDFIT and T-DOL, was actually diverted illicitly. Pseudoephedrine serves as a critical precursor for methamphetamine, threatening public health and national security.
The probe exposed deliberate falsification of manufacturing and export records, implicating senior officials. Accused individuals included Sumit Kumar, the Managing Director; another Sumit Kumar, the Store In-charge; and Dhanesh Chamoli, the Authorized Chief Chemist-cum-Production Manager. The company itself was charged as a corporate entity.
The case fell under Sections 9A, 25A, 26, 29, 35, and 38 of the NDPS Act, 1985, along with the NDPS (Regulation of Controlled Substances) Order, 2013. Bail applications, including to the Supreme Court, were denied due to the offense's severity and transnational impact.
A complaint was filed on November 24, 2023, at the Savarkundla court in Amreli, Gujarat. On January 12, 2026, the court convicted all accused, sentencing the three individuals to seven years of rigorous imprisonment each and fining them Rs 1.5 lakh. The company received a Rs 1.5 lakh fine, marking a major win for NCB in combating illicit drug manufacturing.
