Gujarat ATS seizes 22 Kg Etomidate at Mumbai airport, 3 surat men arrested

The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has seized 22 kilograms of the anaesthetic drug etomidate that was being illegally exported to Malaysia after being mislabelled as aloe vera powder and sent through air cargo from Mumbai airport , officials said on Tuesday. Three persons from Surat have been arrested in connection with the case.

The accused Nikunj Gadhiya , Chetan Vavadiya and Bhautik Padmani were apprehended on Sunday following intelligence inputs suggesting that a group was exporting the controlled substance to Southeast Asian countries by disguising it as herbal or cosmetic ingredients.

During searches at the offices linked to the accused, investigators examined purchase bills and stock registers which allegedly revealed that etomidate was being misdeclared and exported using forged documentation . According to the ATS, Gadhiya had arranged the shipment of six parcels weighing 25.5 kg , of which 22 kg contained etomidate , to Malaysia on February 28.

The parcels, labelled as aloe vera powder samples, were intercepted in Mumbai and examined using a spectrograph drug detection kit , which confirmed the presence of etomidate. Officials said the drug has a high demand in foreign markets , where it can fetch USD 4,000-5,000 per kilogram .

Investigators claim the accused had previously exported significant quantities of the drug by mislabelling it under different product names. Authorities estimate that over 125 kg of etomidate may have been trafficked to countries including Malaysia and Thailand in recent months. A shipment sent to Thailand was reportedly seized by local police there.

Etomidate is a short-acting anaesthetic used in medical procedures , particularly for inducing sedation before surgery. However, international medical reports, including those cited by the The Lancet, indicate that the drug is increasingly being misused for recreational purposes due to its rapid dissociative effects.

Law enforcement agencies say traffickers often route such substances through major air cargo hubs like Mumbai , using mislabelled pharmaceutical or cosmetic shipments to evade scrutiny. Southeast Asia has emerged as a significant destination due to strict narcotics laws and a growing illicit market for psychoactive substances.