Haryana’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) department on Thursday conducted raids in Maharashtra and several parts of Haryana to recover spurious hand-sanitisers from the market, a day after the department seized a cache of adulterated sanitisers from a manufacturing unit in Manesar town of Gurugram district in Haryana.
Acting on a tip-off, the department had conducted a raid on March 11 at an industrial unit operating under the name of Hi-Tech International, which allegedly did not have any licence as required under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. After finding that spurious hand-sanitisers were being made and supplied to shops, the department conducted subsequent raids for recovery of the product from the market on Thursday.
“Today, we conducted subsequent raids at few places in Maharashtra and in Haryana in a bid to recover the stock of spurious hand-sanitisers that had been supplied by this firm,” Ashok Meena, Commissioner, FDA, Haryana told The Hindu.
The team had recovered and seized around 4,000 bottles (300 ml and 500 ml) under the brand Viro-rub. Several empty bottles, labels and sealing material were also seized.
“During the raid it was found that the firm was manufacturing the hand-sanitiser, which is covered under the definition of ‘drug’ as provided under Section 3 (b) of the Drugs and Cosmetic Act. It requires prior permission to manufacture and also needs a drugs licence. The firm did not have any licence,” said Mr. Meena.
In view of the coronavirus pandemic, the department is keeping a tab across the State regarding black marketing, profiteering, hoarding of drugs and other products and conducting raids accordingly.
“Prima facie the firm was manufacturing the spurious hand-sanitiser to take advantage of the present market situation, in which the demand for hand-sanitisers has increased,” Mr. Meena said.
