Fake drug, steroid racket busted in Narela: Delhi Health Minister

New Delhi, July 28 (IANS) A clandestine illegal drug manufacturing and stocking racket operating from a residential apartment complex was busted in Delhi’s Narela during a coordinated operation by Delhi Drugs Control Department and other agencies, Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh said on Tuesday.

“The Delhi government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against person endangering public health through fake medicines. Those compromising public health will face the strictest action,” the Health Minister added.

The Minister said the operation was executed in close coordination with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Haryana and Delhi Police over two days.

The Health Minister said that the operation led to the seizure of a large quantity of suspected counterfeit medicines, anabolic steroids, chemical raw materials, manufacturing equipment, packaging materials, and other incriminating evidence.

The raid was launched following specific intelligence regarding the suspected movement of spurious medicines from the premises, he added.

During the first day of the operation, the joint enforcement team uncovered an unlicensed manufacturing and packaging setup inside a residential apartment.

Officials recovered sealing machines, hand-operated seal crimping devices, heat guns, electric stirrers, precision weighing scales, industrial filter paper, glass beakers, rubber closures and flip-off caps, the Health Minister said.

The team also seized thousands of unlabelled loose tablets suspected to be Tofacitinib, liquid vials of anabolic steroids, including Boldenone, Masteron and Testosterone variants, along with various chemical solutions used in drug preparation, he added.

“During the inspection, the occupant of the premises told officials that the apartment had been taken on rent for stocking and packaging allopathic medicines and claimed that the operation was being run by another individual allegedly linked to a manufacturing facility in Sonepat. However, no valid drug licence, purchase records or stock registers could be produced before the inspection team,” he said.

Acting on fresh intelligence received during the investigation, officials revisited the apartment complex on the second day and conducted a systematic search of the building’s common utility infrastructure.

The search led to the recovery of additional concealed consignments hidden inside electric utility shafts on multiple floors.

He said that further investigation is underway to identify the entire network involved in the illegal operation, trace the source and distribution chain of the seized products and apprehend the absconding accused.

“The Delhi Drugs Control Department, in coordination with the concerned enforcement agencies, is taking further legal action under the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940,” he added.

–IANS

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