Hyderabad: Telangana Drug Control Administration (DCA) officials seized a stock of antibiotics and other medicines during a raid on the premises of a quack in Nizamabad district on September 10.
The enforcement team, acting on credible information, found higher-generation antibiotic cefuroxime and other drugs being stocked without a valid license at the clinic of Resu Naresh in Thana Khurd village, Mugpal Mandal. Officials confirmed that the man did not possess any formal qualification to practice medicine.
According to sources from the DCA, the raid uncovered 29 varieties of medicines, including antibiotics, analgesics, cough syrups, and antiulcer drugs, all stocked illegally. The entire stock, valued at around Rs. 8,000, was seized from the premises. Among the seized items, cefuroxime, a higher-generation antibiotic, was of particular concern due to its potential misuse by unqualified persons.
Director general of DCA, Shahnawaz Quasim, cautioned that indiscriminate sale and use of antibiotics by untrained individuals could lead to serious public health risks, including the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). He emphasized that such practices not only endanger patients but can also weaken the overall effectiveness of life-saving drugs.
Following the raid, the DG issued a strong advisory to pharmaceutical wholesalers and dealers in Telangana. He warned that those supplying medicines to unqualified persons, quacks, or unlicensed shops would face strict legal action under the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. The advisory reiterated the responsibility of every dealer to verify and maintain records of the validity of drug licenses of their recipients.
Joint Drug Controller S. Ramdan explained that stocking drugs without a proper license is a punishable offense under the Act, carrying imprisonment of up to five years. He added that the licensing process exists to regulate and ensure the safe distribution of medicines, and any violation of these norms poses a direct threat to public safety.
The raid in Nizamabad was conducted by drug inspectors R. Srilatha from Nizamabad Rural and V. Srikanth from Nizamabad Urban, under the supervision of assistant director N. Narsiah. Samples of seized medicines were lifted for analysis, and further investigations are underway to identify all links in the supply chain before initiating penal action against the offenders.
This is the second advisory that the DCA has issued within a fortnight. In late August, along with Kotapally Police, officials had intercepted a large inter-state consignment of medicines transported without valid licenses or documentation. Despite repeated enforcement actions and warnings, illegal pharmaceutical trade continues to thrive in Telangana, raising growing concerns over the unchecked sale of medicines by unauthorized individuals.
