Delhi government intensifies crackdown on illegal and spurious medicines
The Drugs Control Department conducted 569 inspections and detected 272 violations during the previous quarter, according to Rediff.
The Delhi government's Drugs Control Department is increasing enforcement against the illegal drug trade through inspections and sample testing, according to a report by Rediff. During the last quarter, officials conducted 569 inspections and identified 272 violations, which included 86 instances involving psychotropic and habit-forming drugs.
In a joint operation with the Delhi Police Crime Branch's Cyber Cell, the department raided a location near T-Point on Padam Chand Marg in Daryaganj. The raid resulted in the seizure of suspected illegal medicines worth Rs 13.29 lakh and the apprehension of one person found with five cartons of drugs in a vehicle.
The seized stock included Bio-D3 Plus, Amaryl MV 2 mg, and Voveran SR 100. Officials noted that the Voveran SR 100 strips lacked essential information such as expiry dates, batch numbers, and maximum retail price, leading to concerns regarding their authenticity.
The department's quarterly activities also included testing 433 legal samples and 43 specimen samples, with 26 specimens found to be counterfeit or spurious. Additionally, two out of 19 cosmetic samples tested were declared not of standard quality.
Legal action has been initiated through eight prosecutions under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and six FIRs under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The NDPS cases were filed during joint raids with the Delhi Police and the Narcotics Control Bureau.
Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh stated that the government maintains a zero-tolerance policy regarding the distribution of unauthorised, counterfeit, or spurious medicines. He said the department is strengthening enforcement to ensure medicines in the capital meet safety and quality standards.