106 Hyderabad pharmacies shut down for illegal sale of addictive drugs

The Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs has ordered the suspension of 106 pharmacies in Hyderabad and nearby areas for breaching rules on habit‑forming medicines. The move comes after the Drugs Wing carried out a focused raid campaign in neighborhoods identified as vulnerable to drug diversion. In total, officials launched 110 actions against outlets that broke provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940 and its accompanying regulations. Of the suspension orders, 99 shops are halted indefinitely, two face a three‑day shutdown and five are closed for a week. One licence was revoked and three other establishments received formal warnings. The authority warned chemists and drug sellers that dispensing psychotropic drugs and any medicines listed under Schedule H or H1 without a valid prescription from a registered doctor is prohibited. It also instructed all pharmacies to keep detailed purchase, sale and inventory records as mandated by law.

Context

The crackdown targets substances that can cause dependence, which Indian law classifies under Schedule H and H1, requiring a doctor’s prescription. TG SAFE is the state body that monitors food and drug safety, and its raids aim to prevent illegal distribution that fuels addiction problems in the community.