Home / Crime and Justice / UP Cracks Down on Dummy Drug Licenses
UP Cracks Down on Dummy Drug Licenses
25 Aug
Summary
- New SOPs target dummy licence holders in UP's drug enforcement.
- Officials will verify business operators, storage, and transactions.
- Enforcement extends to undisclosed storage and specific drug types.
Uttar Pradesh has significantly strengthened its drug enforcement measures by implementing new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). These updated protocols are designed to combat the rise of counterfeit and illegally stored medicines within the state, with a particular focus on dummy licence holders and proxy owners of drug businesses.
FSDA commissioner Roshan Jacob detailed that the SOPs mandate rigorous verification processes. This includes confirming the licence holder, the physical premises, and the individual truly operating the business. Comprehensive checks on billing records, bank transactions, GST details, and the entire medicine supply chain are now standard procedure.
The new regulations prohibit individuals previously involved in illegal drug activities from re-entering the business through relatives or dummy nominees. Authorities will conduct thorough pre-licensing checks for wholesale drug licences, ensuring establishments are not operating from residential premises.
Enforcement efforts will also target medicines stored in unapproved locations such as illegal basements and rented rooms outside licensed facilities. Inspectors will pay close attention to high-value and fast-moving drugs, including those for chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension, as well as cancer and pain management medications.
The guidelines include stringent measures against fake billing, unusual purchase patterns, and price manipulation. Scrutiny of drug-billing records will look for issues like negative stock, backdated bills, and data manipulation. Action will also be taken against the diversion of medicines intended for government hospitals, ESI facilities, and defense supplies into the commercial market.
Furthermore, the enforcement regime will ensure proper cold-chain maintenance for medicines like insulin and vaccines, verifying storage conditions. Bank transactions, CCTV footage, e-way bills, and transport records will be collected during raids to trace medicine movements. Cases involving NDPS-category medicines and painkillers will face strict action, with potential FIRs under multiple acts for organized illegal drug trading.
