- Medicines Worth ₹30.77 Crore Seized, 68 Arrested
- Licenses of 1,166 Drug Traders, 6 Pharma Units, and 5 Blood Banks Cancelled in Major Crackdown
Lucknow — In a major crackdown on the fake drug trade, the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government has seized counterfeit medicines worth ₹30.77 crore and arrested 68 individuals across various districts in 2024–25, under the leadership of the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department (FSDA).
This statewide action was conducted as per CM Yogi Adityanath’s strict directives to eliminate the fake drug menace that endangers public health and undermines the integrity of the pharmaceutical sector.
Massive Raids, Thousands of Samples Collected
As per officials from the FSDA, a total of 1,039 raids were conducted across Uttar Pradesh between April 2024 and March 2025. During these operations, 13,848 drug samples were collected, out of which 96 were found to be spurious, and 497 were substandard.
The crackdown led to the cancellation of licenses of 1,166 drug traders, along with the revocation of licenses for 6 drug manufacturing companies and 5 blood banks. The seizures included not just fake medicines, but also Oxytocin injections, narcotic drugs, and counterfeit cosmetic products.
Focus Districts: Lucknow, Agra, Ghaziabad
The highest number of cases were reported from Lucknow, Agra, and Ghaziabad. In Lucknow, the FSDA, with the assistance of the Special Task Force (STF), carried out several successful raids targeting illegal stocks of Oxytocin and other fake drugs.
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Agra (Nov 5, 2024): Fake drugs worth ₹1.36 crore seized.
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Ghaziabad (Feb 6, 2025): Narcotic medicines worth ₹0.9 crore confiscated.
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Bareilly (April 2025): Counterfeit cosmetics worth ₹0.5 crore recovered.
In addition, 14 suspicious samples are under investigation for adulteration of allopathic drugs under the guise of Ayurvedic medicines.
Inspections and Legal Action on Manufacturing & Sales
In 2024–25, the FSDA inspected:
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463 pharmaceutical manufacturing units
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647 blood banks
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10,462 sales establishments
These inspections formed part of a broader campaign to uproot the fake drug network. The value of fake medicines seized this year is reportedly twice that of the previous year, signaling a sharp escalation in both enforcement and the scale of the issue.
Government Vows Continued Crackdown
Officials have termed this as one of the largest anti-drug mafia operations in the country, aimed at protecting public health and cracking down on illegal pharmaceutical businesses.
The Yogi government has reaffirmed its commitment to intensify such operations in the future, warning offenders that zero tolerance will be shown towards any compromise with drug safety.
The operation serves as a powerful message to drug mafias and illegal traders: Uttar Pradesh is determined to ensure safe, authentic, and regulated access to medicines for its people.
