In a major crackdown on the illegal drug trade, the Drugs Control Administration (DCA), Himachal Pradesh, on Friday busted a racket involved in the illicit manufacturing and storage of narcotic and psychotropic drugs in the Baddi industrial area of Solan district.
The action was initiated following an input received by Drug Inspector Kushal from Kangra regarding the supply of drugs such as pregabalin, tapentadol and NDPS formulations, including Tramadol, from unauthorised sources operating in the Baddi area. Acting on the information, State Drug Controller Dr Manish Kapoor constituted a special team to conduct raids at suspected locations in Kishenpura village.
A joint team of drug Inspectors along with police personnel carried out a late-night raid on Thursday. During the operation, officials recovered a tablet compression machine, foil paper and other materials allegedly being used for illegal drug manufacturing and packaging. One person was apprehended from the site, whose interrogation subsequently led the authorities to another location at Billanwali village.
During the follow-up raid at a godown in Billanwali, officials seized a huge stock of scheduled and psychotropic drugs, including 20,270 pregabalin capsules, 7.63 kg of loose capsules, 1.60 lakh tramadol tablets and 60,000 alprazolam tablets. Tramadol is an opioid painkiller while alprazolam is a sedative anti-anxiety drug, both of which can only be sold on prescription.
Dr Manish Kapoor said cases were being registered under the NDPS Act as well as the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. He asserted that the DCA would continue strict action against illegal drug networks operating in the state. Baddi SP said two UP residents, Shiv Pujan and Anurag Shukla, had been arrested. Preliminary probe revealed that the accused were storing scheduled drugs without the mandatory licence.
