In a major crackdown on the illegal circulation of habit-forming medicines, officials of the Drugs Control Administration (DCA) seized a large consignment of Pregabalin capsules from a courier company in Baddi.
A joint team of Drug Inspectors, led by Vikas Thakur and Akshay Thakur, along with police officials, conducted a raid at the office of DTDC near the Indian Oil petrol pump in Baddi following a tip-off. During the raid, officials seized 3,290 capsules of Pregabalin 300 mg packed inside courier parcels.
State Drugs Controller Manish Kapoor said although Pregabalin is not currently listed as a controlled substance, it is reportedly being misused by youngsters and drug abusers for intoxication.
He said the issue was recently deliberated upon during the seventh Narco Coordination Centre meeting chaired by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, where discussions were held on bringing the drug under the category of controlled substances.
Officials said the seized consignment was scheduled for delivery to a quack in Kangra district who had recently been arrested during a joint raid conducted by drug and police officials. A cache of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) had been recovered from him. Posing as an electrohomeopath and practitioner of alternative medicine, the accused allegedly failed to produce any valid medical qualification when confronted by authorities.
The Drugs Control Administration said strict action would be taken against all individuals involved in the illegal sale and transportation of such medicines. Officials added that the DCA and police department had intensified surveillance of courier services and pharmaceutical supply chains to curb the misuse of prescription medicines among youth and prevent their unlawful distribution.
Investigations further revealed that the drugs had allegedly been manufactured illegally at Jaina Vision, a company licensed to manufacture food products under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The company was recently raided by officials, leading to the exposure of an alleged illicit drug manufacturing racket.
Officials said the arrest of one of the company employees had led investigators to the courier-based supply network operating towards Kangra district. Prompt action by the authorities subsequently resulted in the seizure of the consignment from the courier office.
The case has exposed a multi-layered network involving alleged illegal drug manufacturers, traders and quacks, with courier companies being used as transportation channels for the supply of illicit medicines.
