Officials also detect tampering of drug labels
HYDERABAD, FEBRUARY 07, 2026: Officials of the Drug Control Administration, Telangana, busted the illegal sale of habit-forming drugs, including Tramadol injections, Tramadol tablets, and Alprazolam tablets.
Upender Maloth, who operates a medical shop named Sri Laxmi Ganapathi Medical and General Stores in Maripeda Village, Mahabubabad District, was found selling habit-forming medicines illegally to drug addicts. Records about habit-forming drugs were seized.
In a separate incident, the Drug Control Administration detected tampering with the labels of institutional supply stocks at Sri Laxmi Srinivasa Medical and General Stores in Palvancha, Bhadradri–Kothagudem District, and seized the affected stocks.
Bust of Illegal Sale of Habit-Forming Drugs at Maripeda, Mahabubabad District
On 6th February, acting on intelligence gathered regarding the illegal sale of habit-forming drugs, the Drugs Control Administration, Telangana, carried out a raid at Sri Laxmi Ganapathi Medical and General Stores in Maripeda Village, Mahabubabad District.
During the raid, officers detected that Upender Maloth, who runs the said medical shop, was selling habit-forming drugs illegally to drug addicts and was further not adhering to the Drugs Rules, including the sale of such drugs without a prescription from a Registered Medical Practitioner; non-maintenance of, and failure to produce, sales bills; failure to maintain prescription drug registers and Schedule H1 drug registers; and other violations of the Drugs Rules. Records were seized during the raid. S Umarani, Drugs Inspector, Mahabubabad, carried out the raid under the supervision of M. Aravind Kumar, Assistant Director, Khammam, in coordination with officers of the Police Department.
The abuse of habit-forming drugs such as Tramadol and Alprazolam can lead to severe physical and psychological consequences. These drugs are often misused for their sedative effects, leading to addiction and dependence. Continued misuse or overdose can result in respiratory depression, seizures, coma, and even death.
Seizure of Label-Tampered Institutional Supply Drugs at Palvancha
The DCA officials, during an inspection conducted at Sri Laxmi Srinivasa Medical and General Stores, Shop No. 25, Bus Stand Complex, Palvancha (V & M), Bhadradri Kothagudem District, detected a suspicious label on Thyronorm 100 mcg Tablets, Batch No. TMH25002, Manufacturing Date: January 2025, Expiry Date: December 2026, manufactured by Abbott India Ltd., Village Bhatauli Khurd, P.O. Baddi, Dist. Solan, Himachal Pradesh.
Samples of the said batch were verified with the manufacturer, who confirmed tampering of the declaration “For Institutional Supply Only” on the label. Consequently, the DCA seized the stocks from the medical shop on 6th February for stocking institutional supply drugs and for tampering with drug labels, in violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Rules. G Aswani, Drugs Inspector, Bhadradri-Kothagudem, carried out the raid.
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