Raids on medical shops in TN over illegal sale of prescription drugs

Tamil Nadu Narcotic Intelligence Bureau along with the Health officials are conducting surprise checks at medical shops across the state after information was received on the illegal sale of prescription drugs in the state.

The raids were conducted after instructions from the Director General of Police C. Sylendra Babu as several complaints were received by the state police on the illegal sale of such prescription drugs to children and youths through pharmacies and medical shops in various parts of the state.

It may be noted that IANS had earlier reported on the illegal sale of prescription drugs from the counters of pharmacies at Chengalpattu, Salem, Erode, Madurai, Dindigul, Virudhunagar, and in some parts of Chennai district.

Additional DGP Crime Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal while speaking to IANS said, "Police had cautioned the pharmacy owners not to sell the prescription drugs across counters as these were used for purposes other than medication and we have got information that youths and children were prey to this. The raids will continue in the days to come and stringent action will be taken against the perpetrators of this crime destroying a generation."

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Police conducted separate raids against the sale of narcotics and psychotropic substances across the state. A total of 2,000 kg of ganja and 23 kg of heroin were seized in these raids which were worth Rs 23 crore.

Police said that 830 people have been arrested in these raids across the state and the crackdown would continue against such offenders.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin was briefed upon by the state police on the direct proportion of the increase in crimes in the state with the distribution of narcotic substances.

The government has given the go-ahead to the state police to effect a crackdown against the offenders and the police had conducted the raids using the data bank it has regarding habitual offenders and sellers of ganja and other psychotropic substances. Police intelligence had also used the services of some former drug peddlers to crack the racket.