Drugs, Medical Devices Worth Rs 5.50 Lakh Seized In FDA Raid

Nagpur, 10 June 2020:

Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Nagpur division has seized drugs and medical devices worth Rs 5.50 lakh from unauthorised traders having no licence to sell these items, on Tuesday. Drugs Inspectors Satish Chauhan, Neeraj Lohkare and Swati Bharade under the supervision of Dr PM Ballal Drugs Inspector (Intelligence Bureau) and under the guidance of Joint Commissioner (Drugs) PN Shende raided a warehouse in the dense locality near Mominpura area on Central Avenue and seized 79 boxes of medicines and 35 boxes of medical devices from the trader. DI Chauhan who led the raid told ‘The Hitavada’ that one Praful Thakurdas Sawal, owner of Tanushree Surgicals, has having a trade license in Dawa Bazar area. FDA officials were keeping a watch on him for last five months.

He was also warned for selling masks and sanitisers previously when his shop was raided by FDA along with the department of weights and measures. “After constant warnings this person was declared as a regular offender and all his actions were restricted since March 2020,” DI Chauhan said. FDA officials noticed that transportation of goods was being carried out from the premises of a building near Sevasadan at Agrasen Chowk at Central Avenue. This area is near the containment area. A team of three Drugs Inspectors raided the building and found medicines and medical devices being sold from this premise without any bills. “The team of DI seized medical devices like catheters, disposable syringes, surgical syringes, surgical blades, U-tubes, IV injections etc.

The amount of medicines seized under Drugs and Cosmetic Act vide form no 16 is valued Rs. 2,60,000 /- and that of medical devices seized vide Form MD-35 valued Rs. 2,90,000/-. The total seizure amounted to Rs 5,50,000/-” Chavan said. Talking to this scribe, Dr Ballal said such offences were on the rise due to lockdown. “This is one of many cases where the traders are busy in selling medical devices, items like masks, sanitisers without any bills or licenses,” he said.

All the medicines and medical devices were stored in premises having no licence and not registered as an official store house. The spot was in the vicinity of the containment area and FDA officials were under tremendous pressure while conducting the raid in COVID pandemic lockdown situation. With due precautions the raid was conducted, Dr Ballal added. Elaborating on the process for licence holders, Dr Ballal said it is mandatory for any trader to hold a license for the sale and purchase of medical devices. A license is issued only after quality checks. The license holder’s business premise is subject to periodic inspection. A license holder is also required to maintain detailed records of the sale-purchase undertaken in relation to notified medical devices and ensure traceability in the event of a quality or safety-related failure or complaint. The Hitavada