Fake Drugs Recovered In Raid At Shop

Patna, 6 April 2018: A huge quantity of fake drugs worth around Rs 25 lakh was recovered by the state drug control administration on Thursday.

The recovery of fake drugs of well-known pharmaceutical companies, including Abbott Healthcare Private Limited, Alkem Laboratories Limited, Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Candid Pharmaceuticals and others from a rented accommodation of Ashok Nagar has surprised the drug inspectors.

The officials involved in the raid said they found drugs without labels and also fake wrappers of the pharma companies which had fake holograms printed on them, which they said, was ample proof that the fake drug business was being carried out on the premises.

Fake drugs of Pan 40 tablet of Alkem Laboratories which is prescribed for stomach ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease, Pantop D which is manufactured by Aristo Pharmaceuticals and prescribed for acidity, heartburn, gastric ulcer and other problems, and Amlodac manufactured by Zydus Cadila Healthcare Limited which is prescribed for high blood pressure and heart complications, were found by the drug control administration's team during the raid.

Fake samples of other medicines which were also recovered during the drive include Stemetil MD manufactured by Abbott Healthcare Private Limited and prescribed for schizophrenia, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, anxiety and other conditions.

"One Sanjay Kumar from Nawada, who is said to be involved in the racket, is on the run. We would be conducting raids for the second consecutive day at the Ashok Nagar-based house on Friday. The FIR would be lodged against people involved in the racket after the completion of the raids. Through the investigation so far, we are sure that sections of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, which can award life imprisonment to the defaulters can be mentioned in the FIR," said drug inspector Sachchidanand Prasad Vikrant.

In January, the state drug control administration in collaboration with police seized fake medicines worth lakhs of rupees at Machhuatoli under the jurisdiction of Kadamkuan police station.

The raid was conducted at Medicine Pharmaceuticals, a medicine store at Machhuatoli owned by Krishna Kumar, on tip-offs that the store was selling and manufacturing medicines of different agencies.

Drug inspector Sachchidanand said: "Unpacked drugs had been recovered during that drive also, including 75 injections in three boxes of Patna-based Rathi Lab, which indicates that Medicine Pharmaceuticals was manufacturing drugs of different companies at the shop. The state drug control administration had also recovered Oxytocin injections from the store. The drug is not meant for sale in retail and it is supplied only through registered veterinary shops. Oxytocin is used for increasing milk production of cattle," he added.