Medical store owners and landlords may face greater responsibility in cases involving illegal or counterfeit medicines.
The Drug Department has instructed officials to ensure that people renting out houses or shops for medical stores maintain complete information about the operators.
The instructions were issued as part of efforts to prevent the illegal sale of narcotic and counterfeit medicines. Property owners have also been asked to confidentially inform the department if they suspect such activities.
Medical Store Operators Under Drug Department Watch
According to the instructions, landlords who rent their property for a medical store should maintain complete details of the person operating the business.
The department wants this information to help identify operators if illegal drug-related activities are discovered.
Property owners have also been asked to report suspected sales of narcotic or counterfeit medicines confidentially to the Drug Department so that action can be taken in time.
Action Possible After Drug Store Raids
The instructions come after investigations into drug-related activities at medical stores in the district. The district has around 700 wholesale drug dealers and approximately 2,000 licensed retail medical stores.
Last year, teams from Himachal Pradesh and Haryana’s Narcotics Cell conducted raids in the district in connection with suspected drug trafficking. Some medical stores were found closed when the teams reached the locations.
The subsequent investigation reportedly found that medicines were being sold on invoices. A case involving counterfeit medicines also came to light, following which the department banned the sale of the medicines concerned.
Licences of 23 Medical Stores Revoked
The Drug Department has taken action against medical stores found closed during inspections. According to the information provided, licences of 23 medical stores in the district have been revoked.
Officials have also issued notices to another 23 medical stores. Their licences could also be revoked if they fail to provide the required response to the department’s notices.
Investigations of wholesale drug dealers are also being carried out across the state as authorities work to prevent the sale and distribution of narcotic and counterfeit medicines.
Property Owners Will Also Be Informed
Principal Secretary of Food Safety and Drug Administration Dr Roshan Jacob reviewed the campaign during a video conference with Drug Department officials on Saturday.
Following the meeting, officials were instructed to communicate the directions to medical store operators as well as building owners.
Drug Inspector Ruchi Bansal said medical store operators and property owners would be informed about the instructions.
The department’s focus is on ensuring that information about medical store operators is available and that suspected illegal drug activity can be reported before it leads to wider distribution.
