Hyderabad, June 12:
The Telangana Drugs Control Administration (DCA) has busted an illegally operated medical shop in Karimnagar district and seized medicines worth ₹5.51 lakh that were stocked for sale without a valid drug licence.
According to an official statement issued by the DCA on Thursday, officials conducted a raid on an unlicensed medical shop in Choppadandi village of Choppadandi Mandal following credible information about the illegal sale of medicines.
During the inspection carried out on Wednesday, DCA officials found that the medical shop was being operated by Mallarapu Akhil without obtaining the mandatory drug licence required under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
The enforcement team detected the unauthorised stocking and sale of a large quantity of medicines at the premises. A total of 28 varieties of medicines were seized, including antibiotics, intravenous (IV) fluids, analgesics, in-vitro diagnostic test kits and other pharmaceutical products.
Officials collected samples of the seized medicines for laboratory analysis. The DCA stated that further investigation is underway and appropriate legal action will be initiated against those responsible for the violations.
The administration also warned wholesalers and distributors against supplying medicines to unlicensed establishments. It said that dealers who knowingly supply drugs to shops operating without valid licences are liable for prosecution under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
“Wholesalers and dealers must ensure that the recipient possesses a valid drug licence before supplying medicines,” the DCA said.
The authority reiterated that drug licences are issued only in accordance with the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and are mandatory for stocking and selling medicines.
The DCA noted that stocking medicines for sale without a valid licence is a punishable offence and can attract imprisonment of up to five years under the law.
The administration also advised the public to exercise caution while purchasing medicines and to avoid buying drugs from unlicensed shops, unregulated websites or unauthorised online platforms.
“Purchasing medicines from unregulated sources poses significant risks to public health. Consumers should buy medicines only from licensed medical shops that prominently display their drug licences issued by the Drugs Control Administration, Telangana,” the statement added.
The raid forms part of the DCA’s ongoing efforts to curb the illegal sale and distribution of medicines and ensure public safety through strict enforcement of drug regulations.
