The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration cancelled 29 drug licences and suspended 71 others after conducting 937 inspections across the state between October 5 and 17, according to an FDA press release reported by Mid-Day. The two-week enforcement drive covered drug manufacturers, blood centres, licensed drug-sale premises and other regulated establishments.
The department issued 450 notices during the inspections. Its Drugs Section conducted 105 inspections at manufacturing units, blood centres and other establishments, issuing 68 notices. These inspections led to the suspension of 22 licences and cancellation of seven licences, the FDA said.
A separate exercise covered 832 drug-sale licensees and resulted in 382 notices. Following those inspections, 49 licences were suspended and 22 were cancelled. The action formed part of the department’s enforcement effort to check compliance with drug regulations and act against establishments found violating prescribed norms.
The FDA also tested 279 samples of drugs and related products during the period. Of these, 258 met the prescribed standards, while 21 failed quality tests. The failed samples included 18 classified as Not of Standard Quality, two that were misbranded and one identified as spurious. Products were recalled in five cases, according to the department.
Mumbai accounted for 119 of the samples tested, of which 10 failed to meet the prescribed standards. In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, seven of 133 samples failed, while Nagpur reported four failed samples out of 27 tested. FDA officials separately drew 149 samples, including 115 allopathic drug samples, 14 Ayurvedic samples, 17 cosmetics samples and three homoeopathic samples.
The enforcement drive also led to five cases involving seized goods valued at Rs 28.52 lakh. Four cases were registered under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, involving goods worth Rs 28.52 lakh, while one case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act involved tablets valued at Rs 192.
In Jalna, officials seized allopathic medicines worth Rs 58,772 from Navjeevan Medical and General Stores in Siraswadi. The establishment was allegedly continuing to stock medicines at unlicensed premises after surrendering its licences. In Nagpur, stock worth Rs 20,73,744 was seized from Phoenix Medicorp at Bharatmata Chowk in Jagannath Budhwari, where the premises were allegedly being used to store medicines despite the surrender of the establishment’s licences.
In Baramati, Pune district, goods worth Rs 4,05,678 were seized from Vedas Herbals Mahila Gruh Udyog in Jalochi over the alleged unlicensed manufacture of soap. In Vasai East in Palghar district, the FDA seized packing materials, raw materials and machinery worth Rs 1,83,918 from GB Cosmetics at Ruby Industrial Estate. The unit was allegedly involved in the unlicensed manufacture, packing and sale of nail polish.
In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, an FIR was registered under the NDPS Act and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act against two people over the alleged illegal purchase and sale of 34 Nitrazepam tablets sold under the brand name Nitrosun 10. Both accused were arrested, the FDA said.
The department has urged citizens to buy medicines only from licensed chemists and insist on bills for their purchases. It has also asked the public to report suspected unlicensed drug sales, substandard or spurious medicines and cosmetics, and the sale of psychotropic substances without a prescription through the FDA’s complaints portal or the nearest FDA office.
