Jaipur: In a crackdown on illegal sale of addictive medicines, police teams raided six medical stores in the Khajuwala area of Bikaner on Monday and arrested the owner of one store.
During the operation, 4,151 tablets, including the highly addictive tramadol, were seized. Police officials were shocked to find that many of these medicines, already posing serious health risks, had expired.
Officials warned that the consumption of such expired medicines could lead to severe health complications, even death.
The raids, which continued until late evening, were launched following a tip-off that certain medical stores were illegally selling controlled medicines over the counter. Among those apprehended was Arshad Hussain, the owner of Babar Medical Store in the Samarda area. His store was sealed after the recovery of the 4,151 controlled tablets. An FIR was registered against Hussain under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and the health department was informed for further investigation.
Inspector general (IG) of the Bikaner range, Om Prakash, stated that complaints about licensed medical stores selling controlled substances were increasing. “These medicines are cheap and easily accessible, making them highly attractive to youths, who often become addicted. This is a significant concern in the area,” he said.
The IG also pointed out that many of the confiscated medicines were expired, heightening the risks associated with their misuse. “The raids were part of a broader campaign to tackle the abuse of controlled substances in the region,” he added.
Health department teams are currently analysing the medicines seized from the other medical stores.
