VIJAYAWADA/GUNTUR: Vigilance and Enforcement (V&E) sleuths on Wednesday conducted raids at medical shops in Krishna and Guntur districts and found that many of them were operating without pharmacists and violated other norms.
Six shops were raided in Machilipatnam and seven in Gudivada. Half of them were found to be selling medicines whose expiration dates have passed; some of them were running without labour and trade licenses, they said. As per the instructions of regional Vigilance and Enforcement Officer V Harshavardhan Raju, a special team carried out surprise checks in various medical shops and found them to be indulging in corrupt practices.
The officials also noticed that drug inspectors were not conducting regular inspections in these shops. “Severe action will be taken against erring shop owners as per the Drug and Cosmetics Act for putting the public health at risk,” they said.
In Guntur, raids were conducted at 26 medical shops in Tadepalli, Mangalagiri, Cherukupalli, Nagaram and Guntur city. Four of them were booked for violating norms. The team which raided found these establishments said it found drugs whose expiry date has passed. “The medical shops failed to produce bills of purchases and sales made and do not maintain their books.”