New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Narcotics has seized 66,79,980 psychotropic tablets from a truck on the Chandigarh-Baddi interstate route in a major pharmaceutical diversion case under Operation Vajra 2.0.
The operation was carried out by the bureau’s Madhya Pradesh unit on August 27 and 28 after intelligence indicated that a large consignment of controlled medicines was moving through the Punjab-Himachal Pradesh corridor. One person was arrested and the truck used to transport the cargo was seized.
The consignment contained tablets of Alprazolam, Tramadol, Nitrazepam and Clonazepam. These medicines have legitimate therapeutic uses but are controlled because diversion and misuse can create serious health and trafficking risks.
A specialised preventive team maintained surveillance and positioned itself along the route before intercepting a Uttar Pradesh-registered SML Isuzu Sartaj truck. The vehicle was moved to a secure location for a detailed search.
Officials examined the cargo carton by carton and found 120 master cartons containing the controlled substances. The inventory, examination and sealing process continued for more than 14 hours through the night.
The tablets were allegedly being transported without the statutory documents required for such a consignment. Investigators also found that batch numbers, manufacturing dates and expiry dates had been erased from a substantial quantity of blister strips and boxes.
Some medicines carried markings stating that they were not to be sold in Punjab or Haryana, yet they were being transported into the region without valid invoices, bilty records or electronic way bills. These details form part of the investigation and will require examination against manufacturing, distribution and sales records.
The entire consignment and vehicle were seized under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. The arrested person has been booked under the relevant provisions of the law. The seizure and arrest do not by themselves determine the guilt of all persons who may be examined during the investigation.
The follow-up inquiry is intended to identify the upstream manufacturing and supply channels as well as the downstream distribution network. Investigators will also seek to establish who altered the packaging, arranged the transport and was intended to receive the medicines.
Pharmaceutical diversion cases differ from conventional narcotics smuggling because the products may originate in lawful manufacturing before being moved outside authorised channels. Effective enforcement therefore requires coordination between narcotics authorities, drug regulators, manufacturers, wholesalers, transporters and state police.
During 2026, the bureau has registered 197 cases, arrested 272 people and dismantled six clandestine laboratories. Its wider enforcement actions have resulted in the seizure of approximately 51,000 kilograms of substances covered by narcotics law and 12.72 crore psychotropic tablets and capsules.
The scale of the latest seizure makes tracing the supply chain the most important next step. Documentary and forensic examination will determine whether the tablets were diverted from licensed production, how far the network extended and what additional regulatory or criminal action is warranted.
