Hyderabad: In a major crackdown, the Telangana Drugs Control Administration (DCA) conducted 54 seizures in September, confiscating medicine stocks worth Rs 19.35 lakh.
Of these, 26 cases involved quacks engaged in unlicensed stocking and sale of drugs, while 14 relate to drugs being falsely marketed as food products or nutraceuticals. Additionally, nine raids targeted unlicensed medical shops and godowns, three focused on expired drugs, and one each involved licensed manufacturing violations and banned drugs.
Among the key raids are an operation that took place on September 4, when DCA officials seized medicines worth ₹ 4 lakh from an unlicensed godown in Sangareddy. Later, on September 18, the DCA busted an illegal sale of steroid drugs intended for gym-goers involved in bodybuilding in Hyderabad. Authorities seized steroid medicines worth ₹2 lakh, which were being sold without a valid drug licence.
The Telangana Drugs Control Administration issues drug licences to medical shops and pharmacies under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, and selling or stocking drugs without a licence can result in imprisonment of up to five years, a release stated.
A review of the DCA’s operations from January 1 to September 30 reveals that during this period, 132 cases were booked for misleading advertisements, 92 cases targeted quacks involved in unlicensed drug sales, and 72 cases were related to price violations under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order. Other cases included 49 for unlicensed drug manufacturing, 34 for marketing drugs as food products or nutraceuticals, six for spurious drug rackets, five for unlicensed cosmetic manufacturing, three for banned drug sales, and one case involving misbranded cosmetics.
