Lucknow : In a major crackdown on the illegal trade of narcotic drugs, the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) raided several wholesale medicine shops in Lucknow’s bustling Aminabad Medicine Market on Tuesday. The department sealed off drugs worth ₹3 lakh, most of which were found to be narcotics-based medicines.
Acting on specific instructions from FSDA Assistant Commissioner (Drugs) Brijesh Kumar, a team of officers launched the surprise raid to curb the unauthorised sale and distribution of controlled substances. During the operation, the FSDA team collected 11 drug samples, including three narcotics drugs, which have been sent to the state laboratory for further testing.
The inspection team comprised Drug Inspectors Sandesh Maurya, Vivek Kumar Singh, Ashok Kumar, and Anita Kuril, who jointly inspected four wholesale medicine shops suspected of malpractice. The shops raided included:
- M/s Om Sai Ram Medicos
- M/s Shri Banke Bihari Pharma
- M/s Dawa Choice Pharmacy Pvt. Ltd.
- M/s Guruji Pharmaceuticals
During the investigation, ₹2.60 lakh worth of narcotic medicines were frozen at Om Sai Ram Medicos, while ₹40,000 worth of unverified drugs were sealed at Shri Banke Bihari Pharma. The FSDA has directed these establishments to verify the procurement and sales records of all narcotics and other drugs before resuming operations.
The raid at Dawa Choice Pharmacy Pvt. Ltd. revealed multiple irregularities in sales invoices. Notably, the firm’s main operator, Pooja Tiwari, was absent during the inspection. Consequently, the FSDA issued immediate orders to suspend all operations of the firm until satisfactory written explanations are submitted to the department.
The FSDA has clarified that further action will be initiated only after the laboratory test results of the seized drug samples are received. The crackdown is part of a broader initiative to ensure drug safety and prevent misuse of restricted medicines in Uttar Pradesh.
This raid signals the FSDA’s commitment to tightening its grip on drug regulation and ensuring that pharmaceutical trade in the state remains transparent, verified, and within legal boundaries.
