HYDERABAD, DECEMBER 18, 2025: The Drug Control Administration, Telangana, as part of a special drive to curb the illegal sale of habit-forming drugs and other prescription medicines, conducted raids at retail medical shops on 18th December, 2025.
The raids were conducted at several retail medical shops across the state, focusing on detecting the illegal sale of habit-forming drugs, including Codeine-containing cough syrups, Nitravet (Nitrazepam) tablets, Alprazolam tablets, Tramadol tablets, Zolpidem tablets, Tydol tablets (Tapentadol), etc., and certain prescription medicines such as Mephentermine injections and Atracurium Besylate injections.
Discrepancies were detected in 63 medical shops during the raids, and Show Cause Notices were issued for initiating departmental action, including suspension / cancellation of drug licences.
The Drugs Control Administration, Telangana, conducted a special drive on 18th December 2025 in retail medical shops in and around Hyderabad to detect the illegal sale of habit-forming drugs and certain prescription medicines, such as Mephentermine injections and Atracurium Besylate injections, based on reports of abuse.
The officers of the Drugs Control Administration, Telangana, are coordinating closely with the Police Department to curb the misuse of prescription medicines, particularly habit-forming drugs.
During the raids, special emphasis was laid on checking the indiscriminate sale of habit-forming drugs, primarily classified under Schedule H1 and Schedule X of the Drugs Rules.
The raids also focused on the indiscriminate sale of certain prescription medicines, such as Mephentermine injections and Atracurium Besylate injections, based on recent reports of abuse.
During the special raids, officers of the Drugs Control Administration detected several discrepancies related to the sale of habit-forming drugs in 63 retail medical shops.
The officers detected several violations related to the indiscriminate sale of habit-forming drugs and other prescription medicines, including the sale of such drugs without a prescription from a Registered Medical Practitioner; sale of drugs without issuing bills; non-maintenance of, and failure to produce, sales bills; failure to maintain prescription drug registers and Schedule H1 drug registers; dispensing of prescription drugs in the absence of a Registered Pharmacist; failure to produce purchase bills; irregularities in maintaining copies of sales and purchase bills; and other violations of the Drugs Rules.
Show Cause Notices have been issued to the 63 violating medical shops, and appropriate action, including suspension / cancellation of drug licences, shall be taken in accordance with the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and the rules made thereunder.
DCA Director General
Shahnawas Qasim said the public may report any complaints regarding illegal activities related to medicines, as well as any other suspected manufacturing activities concerning drugs, including narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, in residential, commercial, or industrial areas through the Drugs Control Administration, Telangana Toll-Free Number 1800-599-6969, operational from 10:30 am to 5:00 pm on all working days.
