Drug scam: 9,000 kg of ephedrine was smuggled to Iran
As much as 9,000 kilogramme of ephedrine, which was acquired on an illegal quota, was allegedly smuggled to Iran via Quetta in 2010, an approver in the much-publicised scam has told investigators.
“The allocated quota of the controlled chemical was not used for making medicines,” Rizwan Khan, a former director of the Danas Pharmaceutical Company, said in his statement as approver before the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), according to an ANF official.
“Around Rs7 billion were earned from smuggling the huge consignment of ephedrine to Iran,” the official quoted Khan as saying.
Khan said a smuggler, who he identified as Kaka Khan, from Quetta smuggled the chemical to Iran.
Khan, who is currently on pre-arrest bail, informed investigators that Rs6 million were paid to officials from the federal health ministry in 2010 as bribe to acquire the ephedrine quota for local production of medicines.
A special judge of control of narcotics substances court on July 6 had referred Khan to the ANF after he approached the court for recording his statement.
Khan’s statement will provide evidence about misuse of the huge quota of ephedrine granted to two pharmaceutical companies in 2010, the official said.
The Danas Pharmaceutical Company was allocated 2,500 kilogrammes quota of ephedrine and Berlex Limited was granted 6,500 kilogrammes quota of the controlled chemical by the director general health.
Former director general health Dr Rasheed Jumma has already turned approver against Ali Musa Gillani, son of former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani, former health minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin and former heath secretary Khushnood Akhtar Lashari.
Jumma has stated that these people used their influence to allow the quota to the companies in question.
The consumption of the huge quantity of ephedrine has been a mystery for the investigators after the two pharmaceutical companies failed to satisfy ANF about usage of the chemical.
Danas said it used ephedrine in Metone tablets and Berlex said it used the drug to make Etone tablets, but they could not provide data of where the tablets were distributed and sold.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 11th, 2012.
COMMENTS (11)
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@Faizan: The irony is you don't even know for sure what you are writing here, as your source of information is the"New Yorker" american magazine. Tell me truly what would you expect from this American magazine to write any complimentary words about Iran or Pakistan, .... if so.... you are deeply mistaken. For your information if you already don't know, the editor in chief of this magazine (New Yorker) is David Remnick, who is Jew.
Dear Mr "Pakistanii". I do not live in Iran, please read comments carefully before making remarks. For more information on Iran's drug connections i refer you to the latest issue of the newyorker magazine.
@Pakistanii
The profits in this business are so great they can make a poor man rich overnight, so there are always people willing to risk it.
This shows, how the drug mafia have been ruling us... ppl who still support PPP, open you eyes please.... current regime is full of, land mafia, drug mafia, weapon smugglers..
shameful.................................
Khushnood Lashari should come back to Pakistan and give evidence and record his statement
@Faizan: Are you sure about that. My friend in Iran if you are engaged in these kind of affairs and get caught, they will simply hang you. So be very careful.
The smuggled ephedrine to Iran is most likely used there to Make "Methamamphetamine" aka "meth" a highly addictive drug of abuse. Iran is a major producer of this illicit drug from where it's smuggled out to various countries including Pakistan and the west.
Lets see how far Hanif Abbassi goes to save his skin and extort money out of Sheikh Rasheed after surfacing of this piece of news!
Now everyone will be caught in this net...unless they all make the witnesses vanish in thin air.
Rizwan Khan disclosed nothing new, every one in Medicine business know most of illegally produced narcotic drugs are smuggled to Iran and Middle East. These include morphine, bromocriptine etc.
Why smuggled to IRAN only, and who have directed for?
Hanif Abbasi of PMLN was also involved in this illicit business,he behaves like a saint.