Exposing the link between cold medicines and terrorism financing

When the Sindh Rangers found a large quantity of common cold and pain medicines at a house in Lyari during a raid last month, they had no idea that over-the-counter drugs could be used to manufacture new narcotics, whose proceeds were financing terrorism in Karachi and the rest of the country.

“Initially, we were puzzled about these ordinary drugs, including paracetamol and Panadol CF [Cold+Flu] in powdered form, Vicks and some other common cold medicines, because we believed until that time that they could not be used as narcotics or abused by drug addicts,” the paramilitary force’s Col Muhammad Nasir Nishan recalled while talking to The News at his office.

But the suspect taken into custody during the December 2017 raid revealed during his interrogation that two Afghans from Quetta were regular buyers of paracetamol and Panadol CF powder, Vicks and several other common cold medicines, whose main ingredients are pseudoephedrine, dextromethorphan (DXM) and Tylenol. Several drugs containing these chemicals are easily available in the local market.

The suspect claimed that the Afghan buyers required the medicines, or their “raw material”, in large quantities, and in return they were providing him with methamphetamine, commonly known as crystal meth or ice heroin, which has become the drug of choice in Lyari and in some upscale localities, including Defence and Clifton.

Pseudoephedrine as a substitute for ephedrine is being used by drug manufacturers for preparing methamphetamine for the past several years, but the usage of paracetamol powder and other medicines containing DXM puzzled the investigators as none of them contain the banned chemicals ephedrine or pseudoephedrine.

“Ephedrine or pseudoephedrine is used by meth cooks as a precursor to preparing crystal meth (methamphetamine) or Ice, which is now replacing plant-based drugs, including marijuana and heroin,” said Col Nishan.

“Ironically, the suspect in our custody was constantly expressing his ignorance about the usage of these medicines, claiming that he was not sure what was being done with these common cough and cold medicines by the buyers, whom he called ‘Afghan brothers from Quetta’,” added the Rangers official.

The suspect revealed that he had also introduced the Afghan brothers to some “medicine scrap dealers” in Korangi and Defence who used to buy leftover, discarded raw material from local and multinational pharmaceutical companies, expired paracetamol and Panadol CF tablets or its raw material, and, most importantly, they were supplying DXM, which is not a controlled substance in Pakistan, in large quantities to the buyers. “The suspect finally bowed

to our pressure, revealing that paracetamol powder or Tylenol is being used in manufacturing cheese heroin, a new form of drug prepared by boiling a small quantity of heroin with a large amount of paracetamol powder or Tylenol to make a cheap but highly potent drug that is quite popular among local addicts,” said Col Nishan.

On the other hand, medicines containing DXM and the active raw material itself was being used to prepare DXM crystal, another new and cheap but highly potent drug that is becoming popular among drug users across the city, although its effects are quite different from crystal meth or Ice, which is prepared from ephedrine or pseudoephedrine.

“DXM crystal is a new invention as ephedrine or pseudoephedrine is not easily available these days, so the criminal minds came up with a new narcotic, whose raw material DXM is easily available in Pakistan,” informed Col Nishan.

Following these revelations, several other dealers and suppliers of the medicinal raw material were rounded up by the Rangers, and it was found that every type of medicinal-grade chemical was being sold and purchased without the knowledge of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap).

“Local and multinational companies’ waste contractors are selling even the trashed medicines and discarded raw materials to scrap dealers, who in turn are selling these chemicals to narcotic manufacturers,” disclosed the Rangers official.

The Rangers had got the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) involved in the case and handed over the main suspects to them after the local Drap officials proved to be of no use in prosecuting them.

The News found that the Drap officials were neither aware of the usage of common drugs in narcotic manufacturing nor had they taken any action against the misuse of imported medicinal raw material, expired drugs and discarded waste generated during medicine production at pharmaceutical plants.  

Terrorism financing

Proceeds from this racket are being used to finance terrorism across Pakistan, claimed the Rangers official, saying that this was the reason that compelled them to go after suspected medicine suppliers, narcotic manufacturers and their supporters in Karachi and other parts of the country.

“Going after medicine dealers and manufacturers is not our domain nor do we have technical expertise in this particular area, but when it emerged that proceeds from this lucrative but illegal activity were being used to finance terrorism, it automatically came under our domain,” explained Col Nishan.

“It was the terror financing link of this illegal trade that compelled us to go after the illicit drug manufacturers and their suppliers, and when we thought that we could not proceed any further, we handed over the case to the ANF and other relevant agencies.”

Constant evolution

Narcotic manufacturers are constantly coming up with new narcotics, improving the potency, effects and taste of these drugs, especially DXM crystal, which is rapidly replacing crystal meth, locally known as ice heroin.

“The suspect in our custody, who is also a drug addict, helped the manufacturers a lot in improving the quality of DXM crystal, making it more attractive to the users,” said Col Nishan, “because initially, its taste was a lot bitter and its effects were different from crystal meth. On our suspect’s suggestions, the manufacturers made the required changes to make it more attractive to addicts.”

The official said crystal meth was still the drug of choice for the youth and people from the affluent class due to its euphoric effects, but another class of drug users was emerging that was addicted to DXM crystal due to its unique properties.  

Drap’s waiting game

Najmus Saqib, Drap’s deputy director, said they were waiting for the outcome of the Rangers’ and the ANF’s investigations, as both DXM and Tylenol, which were being used in narcotic manufacturing, were not on the list of controlled substances.

“Their use in manufacturing of narcotics is a big surprise for us, as we were unaware that even paracetamol and common cold and cough medicines are being used as precursors in manufacturing deadly narcotics. We have asked the authorities to make some recommendations so that action could be taken against the people and pharmaceutical companies involved in this heinous business.”