MUMBAI: The Customs Special Intelligence and Investigation Branch (SIIB-Export), Mumbai Zone-III, has arrested the director of a pharmaceutical company and a customs broker director for allegedly attempting to export a controlled substance to the Czech Republic without mandatory permission from narcotics authorities.The arrested accused have been identified as Venkat Shinde, director of M/s Veeprho Laboratories Private Limited, and Chandrashekhar Sriram Chodankar, director of customs brokerage firm M/s Rocraft Shipping and Logistics Pvt Ltd.Both were arrested late under Sections 25A, 9A, 28 and 29 of the NDPS Act, 1985.According to customs officials, an export consignment filed for export to a pharmaceutical company in the Czech Republic, came under suspicion during examination.The shipment declared one of the items as “Tropicamide EP Impurity D, Batch No. L36014, Purity 99.87%” weighing 3.05 grams.A detailed examination conducted on Wednesday revealed that the white powder substance corresponded to Phenylacetic Acid and its salts, a controlled substance listed under Schedule B of the NDPS (Regulation of Controlled Substances) Order, 2013.Export of the substance requires a prior No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Narcotics Commissioner under Section 9A of the NDPS Act.Officials said the exporter failed to produce any NOC or authorization during the examination. The substance was subsequently seized on the reasonable belief that it was being exported in contravention of NDPS provisions.In his statement recorded under Section 67 of the NDPS Act, Shinde allegedly admitted that no NOC had been obtained and acknowledged that due diligence regarding export control laws had not been exercised.Chodankar, whose firm filed the shipping bill, stated that he was unaware of the controlled nature of the substance at the time of filing.Investigators have alleged that Shinde attempted the export without mandatory permission, while Chodankar facilitated the shipment.
