New Delhi, Nov 4 (PTI) The Delhi government's Drugs Control Department conducted 569 inspections and detected 272 violations, including 86 cases involving habit-forming and psychotropic drugs, during the previous quarter, officials said on Wednesday.
The department tested 433 legal samples and collected 43 specimen samples, of which 26 were declared spurious or counterfeit, according to a statement issued by the Delhi government.
In a separate enforcement action, the department, in coordination with the Delhi Police Crime Branch's Cyber Cell, seized suspected illegal medicines worth Rs 13.29 lakh during a raid in Daryaganj.
Acting on specific information, a joint team raided a location near T-Point on Padam Chand Marg and apprehended a person who was found in possession of five cartons containing three medicines, Bio-D3 Plus, Voveran SR 100 and Amaryl MV 2 mg kept in a WagonR car.
The accused failed to produce valid drug licences, purchase and sale records or other relevant documents. The inner strips of Voveran SR 100 were also found without essential details, including batch number, manufacturing and expiry dates, and maximum retail price, raising concerns over their genuineness.
Three legal samples were collected for testing, and three specimen samples were sent to the respective manufacturers for verification. The remaining stock, valued at around Rs 13.29 lakh, was seized, the statement said, adding that further investigation was underway.
During the quarter, the department also collected 3,673 survey samples and 30 cosmetic samples. Of the 19 cosmetic samples tested, two were declared not of standard quality (NSQ).
The department filed six cases for dealing in spurious or counterfeit drugs and two for dealing in medicines or medical devices without the requisite licences. Eight cases were registered for prosecution under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
Additionally, six FIRs were registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act during joint raids conducted with the Narcotics Control Bureau and Delhi Police.
Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh said the government had adopted a zero-tolerance approach towards the sale and distribution of spurious, counterfeit and unauthorised medicines.
He said the department was strengthening inspections, sample testing and coordinated enforcement operations to curb the illegal drug trade and ensure that medicines available in the national capital met prescribed quality and safety standards.
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)