In its continued efforts to curb the misuse of pharmaceutical preparations comprising of habit-forming ingredients, Drugs & Food Control Organisation (D&FCO), J&K undertook a major drive to identify & take punitive action against scrupulous elements dealing with such drugs in a clandestine manner.

During the drive, it came to fore that some wholesale firms are indulging in procurement of certain pharmaceutical preparations consisting of Pregabalin as an active ingredient, which is prone to addiction, directly from the suppliers based outside Jammu & Kashmir through a clandestine manner.

Upon scrutiny of records of such firms, it was established that they have procured and distributed these medicinal preparations without maintaining the sale records properly as mandated under the provisions of Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 & rules there under.

As such, punitive action was initiated against 09 Pharma dealers & their Drug Sale Licenses were suspended.

Stocks of pharmaceutical preparations which are prone to addiction worth Rs. 13,58,900 have also been seized from the supply chain to avoid their pilferage into the hands of the nefarious elements, and custody permission of the same have been obtained from the Hon’ble Court of Law.

Lotika Khajuria, State Drugs Controller, J&K has reiterated that no person/firm shall indulge in procurement of lesser-known brands of drugs formulations comprising of habit forming ingredients directly from the suppliers/ manufacturers located outside Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in a  clandestine manner or  through online platforms or through courier service providers/speed post etc.

In case any violation is reported, the defaulters shall be dealt strictly in accordance with zero-tolerance policy adopted by Union Territory of J&K against persons involved in promoting drug abuse which warrants the cancellation of such licenses as also legal mandate.