Mumbai customs officials arrested Sreekant Sreedhan, a marketing manager, and a customs broker.

MUMBAI: The customs department arrested Sreekant Sreedhan, marketing manager of Supriya Lifescience ltd, and a customs broker for allegedly attempting to export 200 kg of Ketamine Hydrochloride, a psychotropic substance illegally to South Korea.Export of the substance requires a prior No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Narcotics Commissioner under the NDPS Act, 1985.Ketamine hydrochloride is a controlled “psychotropic substance” under NDPS Act.Reacting to the situation, Supriya Lifescience issued an official statement stating that the company has manufactured and exported this regulated pharmaceutical ingredient for legitimate medical use for over three decades under a strict statutory framework.“The Company is extending its full cooperation to the investigating agencies, has initiated an internal review, and remains committed to complying with all applicable regulatory requirements. As the matter is under investigation, it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage,” the statement read.