The Gujarat Food and Drugs Control Administration (FDCA) has busted an alleged fraud of exporting aphrodisiac allopathic ingredients, mixed with nutraceutical (food or food-related component that provides health benefits) products, to African nations, as well as a factory manufacturing fake allopathic medicines without a license.
Adulterated and fake medicines worth about Rs 32 lakh were seized, officials said on Saturday. A flying squad of the Gujarat FDCA, along with drug inspectors of Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), questioned the three partners of the firm, M/s. Joinhub Pharma LLP, as well as two persons in charge of purchase — Bhavesh Patel and Nazar Mohammed Saudi — at their office at Mondeal Heights in Ahmedabad. Ahmed Abbas Balospura, Abbas Ali Balospura, Sanket Shah are the three firm partners who have been questioned.
Officials then raided the firm’s warehouse at Kunj Estate, Changodar. Samples of the medicine, Wholeshield Refire Capsule and Demex (Vitamin-D3), were taken and sent for testing and a quantity of product worth Rs 11 lakh was seized for legal action.
Further, the partners of M/s. Joinhub Pharma LLP said that the said medication was manufactured by M/s. Aeron Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd, located at Kathwada, in Daskroi taluka of Ahmedabad, under a nutraceuticals license. They used to add aphrodisiac ingredient Sildenafil Citrate powder to it and had been exporting it in large quantities in the name of nutraceuticals.
Based on the information that they were going to export such quantity, the officials of Gujarat Food and Drug and Central Drug Licensing Authority (CDSCO) raided their unit and found adulteration with Wholeshield Refire Capsules with Sildenafil Citrate aphrodisiac allopathic ingredient. They were meant for sale to M/s. Joinhub Pharma LLP for export, said officials.
Further, at the M/s. Aeron Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd factory in Kathwada, the joint FDCA and CDSCO team also found Demex (Vitamin-D3) 10,000 IU and Demex (Vitamin-D3) 5,000 IU being illegally manufactured at another plant registered to M/s. 4Care Life Sciences Pvt Ltd located in Bagdol village of Kathlal taluka in Kheda district. This plant was illegally producing the nutraceuticals using the manufacturing license of M/s. Aeron Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd to speed up production.
Directors of M/s. Aeron Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd — Kashyap Paresh Patel, Dhaval Harji Savaliya, Rajdeep Mathur Seldia, Hardik Uka Bhesaniya, Harshil Jayesh Barot and Priyanka Dhaval Savaliya — will be prosecuted under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. Samples of the drugs produced in their factories were sent for examination and product worth Rs 21 lakh
Why should you buy our Subscription?
You want to be the smartest in the room.
You want access to our award-winning journalism.
You don’t want to be misled and misinformed.
Choose your subscription package
