The customs officials at the Chennai Anna International airport have seized a large quantity of the banned anti bacterial life saving drug, Tienam Imipenem Cilastatin Sodiumnad, and relate the incident to a rampant racket with roots in various countries, operating to import new generation high value drugs for profiteering and nefarious activities.

Sources told Pharmabiz.com that the seizure could be just the tip of an iceberg and further probe by various law enforcing agencies might reveal startling facts on drug import rackets operating in the country and abroad. The customs officials had chanced upon the drug carried by a passenger from the Malaysia - Singapore - Chennai route. He escaped when the officials tried to question him. The baggage he was carrying had 120 containers with each containing 500 mg of Tienam manufactured by Merck Saark Dohem (MSD) Netherlands.

Dr R Arivudai Nambi, technical officer (drugs), Chennai airport, told Pharmabiz that this beta lactum anti-biotic drug was mainly used as an anti-bacterial infectant. It has a broad spectrum of anti-bacterial activity and is administered only parentally. It is given with 'ciastatin dehydro peptidized inhibito' in order to block its metabolism in the kidneys. The brand is available in the west in brand names like Tienam and Primaxin.

The DCGI has not licensed to manufacture and market imipenem in the country. This was subsequent to a similar seizure at the Mumbai airport sometime back and a subsequent alert by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration, which had been communicated to the drug officials in ports and airports. The Chennai airport drug officials had seized 400 odd vials of the same drug from a passenger to Chennai on 1/4/2002, said sources.

The officials indicated the people who brought the drugs could be only experienced 'carriers', who operate similar to carriers of narcotics network. The officials have information on the possible existence of an active import drug racket, even including doctors, operating in Ramnad and Dindigul districts of Tamil Nadu, which sell imported drugs at exorbitant prices in various parts of the country.

Existing laws in the country are ineffective to punish trafficking of life saving drugs, in comparison to the stringent rules for trafficking narcotics. Moreover, most of the enforcement authorities at the crucial transit points do not suspect drug carriers, as most of them lack knowledge on what all are allowed and not, noted sources.