The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested two more individuals and seized 22 kg of etomidate as part of an ongoing investigation into an alleged racket exporting the anaesthetic drug abroad under false labels through air cargo from Mumbai, officials said on Tuesday.
Providing the details, officials said the case was initially registered on March 7 after investigators received intelligence that consignments of etomidate powder were being exported to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and other countries by misdeclaring them as other products and using forged documentation.
According to the ATS, the shipments were falsely labelled as “aloe vera powder” and “Ginopol-24 powder”, with fake invoices and forged customs clearance papers prepared to facilitate export through Mumbai airport. The agency had earlier arrested Nikunj Gadhiya (28), a Surat-based businessman residing in Katargam, in connection with the case.
Investigators have arrested two other accused -- Chetan Vavadiya (28) and Bhaumik Padmani (32) -- during the probe on March 8. Officials said searches were conducted at the offices of the companies linked to the accused, where investigators examined purchase bills and stock registers of etomidate.
The documents allegedly confirmed that the substance had been mislabelled and misdeclared before being sent abroad. During questioning, Gadhiya disclosed that on February 28, he had arranged to send six parcels weighing 25.5 kg, of which 22 kg contained etomidate, through air cargo destined for Malaysia.
The parcels were later intercepted and examined in Mumbai by investigators using a Raman spectrograph drug detector kit, which confirmed the presence of the substance. The case has been registered under Sections 336(2), 336(3), 338, 340(2) and 350(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and further investigation is underway.
Earlier investigations by the ATS indicated that the three businessmen allegedly operated through several firms, including DWN Bioscience, Neutral Pharma, Om Herbs, Jani Pharma and Rudra Enterprise, to export etomidate abroad by disguising it as cosmetic or herbal products.
Officials said preliminary findings suggested that the accused had previously exported more than 125 kg of the drug to destinations such as Malaysia and Thailand using the same method. Authorities said the investigation is underway to identify other individuals linked to the network and trace possible overseas connections.