Mumbai, Sept 02: Huge quantity of Methaqualone powder, used for making Mandrax tablets, worth Rs 20 crore in the international market, was seized from premises of a closed sick unit at Vapi in Gujarat during a raid by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). The bureau had gathered information that members of an international syndicate had hired the closed sick unit in phase four of the industrial area at Vapi for production of Methaqualone powder, an NCB release said here today.
The NCB also learnt that the syndicate had hired two other units and a godown for processing, storing and other activities related to the consignment to be shipped to Africa, its final destination.

NCB sleuths from Mumbai along with their counterparts from Ahmedabad zonal unit conducted a search of the premises late last night and recovered 2.5 tonne of Methaqualone powder, the release said.

The NCB, which has apprehended certain persons for interrogation, also conducted a search at four residential areas in Vapi.
One of the syndicate members' premises in Mumbai has also been sealed, the release added.

Bureau Report