Telangana DCA cracks down on illegal drug sales in Mahabubabad, detects label tampering in Kothagudem

The Telangana Drugs Control Administration (DCA) has busted the illegal sale of habit-forming drugs in Mahabubabad district and seized label-tampered institutional supply medicines in a separate operation in Bhadradri Kothagudem district.

The DCA officials, on February 6, raided Sri Laxmi Ganapathi Medical and General Stores in Maripeda village of Mahabubabad district. During the inspection, the proprietor, Upender Maloth, was found allegedly selling habit-forming drugs including Tramadol injections, Tramadol tablets and Alprazolam tablets to drug addicts without prescriptions from Registered Medical Practitioners.

Officials found multiple violations of the Drugs Rules, including failure to maintain sales bills, non-maintenance of prescription drug registers and Schedule H1 drug registers, and failure to produce records. Relevant records pertaining to the sale of habit-forming drugs were seized during the raid, they said.

In a separate case on the same day, DCA officials detected tampering of drug labels at Sri Laxmi Srinivasa Medical and General Stores in Palvancha, Bhadradri Kothagudem district. During inspection, officials found suspicious labelling on Thyronorm 100 mcg tablets, manufactured by Abbott India Limited., and verified samples with the manufacturer.

The manufacturer confirmed that the declaration ‘For Institutional Supply Only’ had been tampered with. The DCA subsequently seized the stocks for stocking institutional supply drugs and for label tampering, both of which are offences under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act punishable with imprisonment of up to 2 years.