Bengaluru: The Karnataka Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FDA) has cancelled the licences of 16 pharmacies and suspended eight others in connection with an alleged spurious drug racket uncovered following a raid at a farmhouse in Bidadi.
The action follows an August 18 raid by the FDA’s Drug Enforcement Wing at a farmhouse in Kurubarakeranahalli, Bidadi, where officials seized suspected spurious medicines, packaging material and machinery with an estimated value of around Rs 5.05 crore.
The wider investigation has indicated an alleged interstate supply network involving counterfeit and relabelled medicines. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) is continuing to trace the wider supply chain and identify other people allegedly involved.
FDA acts against 24 pharmacy licences
According to the FDA, action has been taken against 24 drug licences in all. Sixteen licences have been cancelled, while eight have been suspended.
The cancelled licences include wholesale and retail pharmacies located across Bengaluru, as well as an establishment in Hubballi.
The 16 cancelled licences are:
- M/s Avesco Healthcare — Bengaluru — Wholesale
- M/s Bangalore Speciality Pharma — Shivaji Nagar, Bengaluru — Wholesale
- M/s Bengalurus Speciality Pharma — Museum Road, Bengaluru — Wholesale
- M/s Patel Medi Trade — Gubbalala, Bengaluru — Wholesale
- M/s Rajarajeshwari Pharma — Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Bengaluru — Wholesale
- M/s N.S. Pharma — Hubballi — Wholesale
- M/s Surya Specialty Pharma — Kumaraswamy Layout, Bengaluru — Wholesale and Retail
- M/s SWS Pharma — K.G. Halli, Bengaluru — Wholesale
- M/s Krupa Healthcare — Mavalli, Bengaluru — Wholesale
- M/s St. Philomena Hospital Drug Centre (Main Pharmacy) — Bengaluru — Wholesale and Retail
- M/s Sagar Pharma (Div. of Sagar Healthcare and Diagnostic Services Pvt Ltd) — Bengaluru — Wholesale and Retail
- M/s Zymus Pharma — Raghuvanahalli, Bengaluru — Retail
- M/s Fortune Medical Solutions — BSK 3rd Stage, Bengaluru — Wholesale
- M/s Excelcare Pharma (Unit of Excelcare Health Alliance Pvt Ltd) — BSK 2nd Stage, Bengaluru — Wholesale
- M/s Patel Medicals — Padmanabhanagar, Bengaluru — Retail
- M/s Bangalore Speciality Pharma — Chamarajpet, Bengaluru — Wholesale
The eight suspended licences are:
- M/s Med Pharma — Doddakammanahalli, Bengaluru — Wholesale
- M/s Surya Speciality Hospital — Bommasandra, Bengaluru — Wholesale
- M/s Sagar Pharma (Unit-II) — Tilaknagar, Bengaluru — Wholesale and Retail
- M/s Vivantha Pharmaceuticals — Jayanagar, Bengaluru — Wholesale
- M/s Maruthi Medicals — Vijayanagar, Bengaluru — Wholesale
- M/s Viva Pharma — Belagavi — Wholesale
- M/s Hi-5 Pharma — K.G. Halli, Bengaluru — Wholesale and Retail
- M/s Pfizer Ltd — Kempanalinganahalli, Nelamangala, Bengaluru Rural — Wholesale
The FDA said the actions were taken against retailers and wholesalers allegedly involved in the sale and supply of the suspected spurious medicines.
Medicines allegedly repacked and relabelled
According to preliminary findings cited by the FDA, the Bidadi premises were allegedly being used to illegally repack and relabel medicines.
Investigators suspect that low-cost medicines procured from other states were being transferred into new vials and relabelled as expensive life-saving medicines sold under multinational brands.
Officials also found labels bearing what they described as forged Pfizer branding. QR and scanning codes on the suspected counterfeit labels were reportedly found to be non-functional.
The investigation is examining how the medicines were procured, repackaged and subsequently supplied through the distribution chain.
Rs 5.05 crore worth of material seized
The FDA seized a large quantity of suspected spurious medicines and equipment during the August 18 raid.
Among the seized material were 5,640 vials of CEFIAVIGENT 2.5 injection, 1,531 vials of HIZLAM injectables and 264 vials of EMBLAVEO carrying a Pfizer label.
Officials also seized other injectable medicines, 30 boxes of expired drugs, injection-filling machinery, forged labels and stamps.
The total estimated value of the seized material was put at around Rs 5.05 crore.
The seizure at the Bidadi farmhouse became the starting point for a wider investigation into the suspected supply network. Subsequent searches were carried out at multiple locations as investigators attempted to trace the movement of the medicines and identify other people allegedly involved.
Drug batches blocked from sale
The FDA has blocked the relevant drug batch numbers on its portal to prevent their further sale or distribution.
Samples of the seized medicines have also been sent to a government laboratory for testing. The tests are expected to establish their chemical composition, sterility and potency.
The laboratory findings will be important in determining the nature and quality of the seized medicines and supporting further action in the case.
The department has also initiated proceedings under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. The medicines have been classified by the FDA as spurious drugs under Section 17B, while offences relating to their manufacture, sale, stocking or distribution can attract action under Section 27.
SIT probes wider supply chain
The Special Investigation Team is continuing its investigation into the alleged racket.
The probe is examining purchase and sale records, financial transactions and other documents to establish the alleged movement of medicines through the network.
Authorities are also investigating possible interstate links and attempting to identify other people and entities allegedly connected with the supply chain.
The investigation will determine the full extent of the alleged racket, the source of the medicines and the role of individual pharmacies and other entities named in the case.
FDA urges consumers to remain cautious
The FDA has advised the public to purchase medicines only from licensed pharmacies and to insist on obtaining valid bills for purchases.
Consumers have also been urged to remain alert to suspicious packaging, labels and QR codes and to report concerns to drug enforcement authorities.
Health Minister U.T. Khader said the investigation had uncovered what he described as a large-scale network and that authorities were also tracing alleged links to other states.
The minister said further details would be shared after the SIT completes its investigation.
The ongoing probe will determine the full extent of the alleged racket, while laboratory testing of the seized medicines is expected to provide further evidence regarding their composition, sterility and potency.
Until the investigation and testing are completed, allegations against individual businesses remain subject to the findings of the competent authorities.