Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata

Kolkata, Jan 6: The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) seized spurious medicines worth Rs 6.6 crore — the largest seizure from the city in 2024 — from a wholesaler's warehouse in south Kolkata. The medicines, marked as imported from countries like Bangladesh, Turkey, USA, and Ireland are used in the treatment of cancer and diabetes. A bulk of these medicines were put up for sale by the wholesaler through an online trading platform.

While they started searches on Dec 17, the wholesaler moved the Calcutta High Court. When asked about the documents related to the import, they failed to produce anything. "The owner of the company, a woman, was arrested on Monday and was produced at the Alipore Court. She was sent to 14 days' judicial custody.

According to CDSCO sources, many of the medicines seized during the searches are used in the treatment of cancer. "We are not sure about the origin of these medicines as the investigations are still underway. However, many medicines are marked as made in countries like Bangladesh, Turkey, USA, and Ireland," said an official with the CDSCO.

The central agency terms a medicine as spurious if there is no procurement document for the same and it is not traceable to its manufacturer. "The medicines will go through a series of tests to ascertain their actual composition. However, we could not get any procurement document from the wholesaler," the official said.