Tintin finds himself – by chance – entangled in a drug traffickers' ring, which will take him all the way to India.

After the adventure of The Cigars of the Pharaoh, while Tintin spends some time with Maharaja of Gaipajama, a messanger comes from Shanghai, and before he could deliver his message, he gets effected by Rajaijah juice, the poison of madness. Only thing Tintin could get out of him is the name of the person, Mitsuhirato, who sent this messanger. Tintin leaves at once for Shanghai and there he meets Mr. Mitsuhirato.