Telangana Drugs Control Administration (DCA) based on intelligence busted a counterfeit drug racket that has been circulating fake antibiotics, hypertension, cholesterol medication, and analgesics. The total seizure was worth about ₹26 lakh.
The drugs were brought to Telangana from Kashipur of Uttarakhand, and a special team of the DCA conducted raids at various locations in Hyderabad and unearthed the contraband.
The information was that the drugs were being transported here via one Trackon Couriers Pvt Ltd with offices located at Dilsukhnagar and Uppal. It was found that two parcels, each weighing 14.5 kg and 13.34 kg., claimed to contain machine parts and they were booked at Kashipur by one Amar Pharmaceuticals. The parcel was delivered to one Puvvada Lakshman in Hyderabad.
The DCA with the help of the police traced the location of Mr. Lakshman through his mobile number and caught him at a bar in Dilsukhnagar. Further raids at his godown, Sri Venkateswara Enterprises, Dwarakapuram, revealed the stocks of spurious drugs, the DCA said.
After questioning the alleged accused Lakshman, the DCA said he had confessed to running the business along with Pokala Ramesh and Garapalli Purnachander of Saidabad, and one Nadeem of Uttarakhand.
Reportedly, the drug packages contained labels of companies such as Sun Pharma (Rosuvas 10 tablets - used in the treatment of high cholesterol), Glenmark Pharma (Telma H Tablets, Telma 40 Tablets – used in the treatment of hypertension), Aristo Pharmaceuticals (Monocef-O 200 Tablets – antibiotic), Torrent Pharma (Chymoral Forte – used to relieve pain and swelling), the DCA said.
Two other types of antibiotics MPOD-200 Tablets (Cefpodoxime Proxetil and Lactic Acid Bacillus Tablets) and MEXCLAV 625 tablets (Amoxicillin and Potassium Clavulanate, Lactic Acid Bacillus tablets) labelled as manufactured by ‘Meg Lifesciences, Sirmour, Himachal Pradesh’, is a non-existent company.
The DCA has seized the spurious drugs and sent the samples for analysis. An investigation was opened.