PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE /Dehradun
The Special Task Force (STF) sealed an illegal medicine factory operating in the State Infrastructure and Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand Limited (SIIDCUL) industrial area at Sigaddi in Kotdwar, Pauri district on Friday. This is the second major crackdown against illegal manufacturers of medicines within 24 hours, officials said.
According to officials, the factory named Nectar Herbs and Drugs was allegedly involved in the illegal manufacturing of fake medicines. STF teams, along with drug inspectors and revenue officials, conducted a raid at the factory after receiving intelligence inputs.
During the inspection, officials found that the factory’s drug manufacturing licence had already been cancelled in 2024. Despite this, medicine manufacturing equipment and machinery were still present inside the premises.
The team recovered around three kilogrammes of compressed tablets and 34 punch tools used for making tablets. The factory was immediately sealed and the recovered material was taken into police custody for further investigation.
Officials said the same factory had also faced allegations during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021 for manufacturing fake Remdesivir injections. In 2024, Telangana police had also raided the factory and reportedly recovered fake medicine wrappers and counterfeit medicines. The STF said that strict legal action will be taken against people involved in the fake medicine trade as such activities put public health and human lives at serious risk.
