Illegally repackaged drugs for arthritis treatment seized from Ghaziabad’s Modinagar

Officials said Bhatia allegedly procured tablets of phenylbutazone, piroxicam and dexamethasone from several suppliers in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh without any licences

A team from food safety and drugs’ department on Monday conducted surprise searches at two godowns in Modinagar in Ghaziabad and seized about 800,000 tablets of three different drugs that were being repackaged and sold without any licence for treating arthritis and gout, the officials said on Wednesday.

These drugs were repackaged at the godowns into small plastic pouches sporting a small locally made label indicating that the 8-10 tablets in the pouch were for treating arthritis and gout, etc. These pouches were supplied to states such as Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh and each pouch was sold for ₹22. (Representative image)

A team from the drugs department in Lucknow, Meerut and Ghaziabad conducted the searches at the godowns of suspect Mukesh Bhatia, against whom a case was registered at the Modinagar police station on Monday night.

Officials said Bhatia allegedly procured tablets of phenylbutazone, piroxicam and dexamethasone from several suppliers in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh without any licences.

“These drugs were repackaged at the godowns into small plastic pouches sporting a small locally made label indicating that the 8-10 tablets in the pouch were for treating arthritis and gout, etc. These pouches were supplied to states such as Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh and each pouch was sold for ₹22,” said Ashutosh Mishra, drug inspector.

The drugs department officials said dexamethasone is a steroid which can cause damage to vital organs such as the liver and kidneys over long-term use unmonitored by a qualified physician.

“These pouches containing 8-10 tablets with local label was supplied to different states over the past several months and investigation is underway in the case. Overall, we seized 800,000 tablets/capsules of these drugs. Samples were also picked up for further testing and a police complaint has been filed against the suspect,” Mishra said.

An FIR under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 319(2) (for cheating by way of personation), 274 (adulteration of food or drink intended for sale) and 277 (sale of adulterated drugs), among others and also under provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act was registered against Bhatia.

“He has been arrested and sent to judicial custody on Tuesday,” said Gyan Prakash Rai, assistant commissioner o police, Modinagar.