In a significant development, the Chandigarh unit of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in coordination with the Himachal Pradesh State Drugs Control Administration and Punjab Police has seized nearly 25 lakh habit-forming pharmaceutical tablets and over 2,000 kg of Tapentadol in a major crackdown on pharmaceutical medicine diversion into illicit markets. According to the latest NCB probe, the recovered pharmaceutical drugs are linked to a deep-rooted multi-state and international racket involving diversion of medicines meant for legitimate medical use into unauthorised markets. The operation, which began late Monday night and continued till Tuesday evening, involved six drug inspectors of the Himachal Pradesh State Drugs Control Administration (DCA) and a Punjab Police expert assisting the NCB team. The seizure included 30 drums weighing around 40 kg each from the pharmaceutical premises besides large quantities of tablets stored at different locations.
At the SCO Bishkek summit, Prime Minister Modi emphasized drug trafficking as a serious threat to younger generation and regional security, calling for stronger cooperation through SCO mechanisms. SCO leaders adopted a programme to coordinate measures against the proliferation of synthetic drugs and their precursors until 2030, addressing the growing challenge of synthetic narcotics and preventing diversion of precursor chemicals. The summit finalized four separate outcomes to target law enforcement, drug trafficking, and organised crime, including the Regulations on the Executive Committee of the SCO Anti-Narcotics Centre and the Programme of Cooperation among SCO Member States in Combating Drug Addiction until 2030. These initiatives complement India's domestic efforts to reduce drug demand and enable the exchange of best practices in prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation.
India is planning to introduce a voluntary code of conduct for precursor chemicals—essential raw materials for legal medicines and industrial goods—to prevent their diversion from legitimate uses to illicit drug manufacturing. The framework is being developed by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) under the home affairs ministry in consultation with the Indian Drug Manufacturers Association (IDMA). The comprehensive framework covers chemical producers, pharmaceutical firms, logistics providers, exporters, and regulatory bodies. The framework covers scheduled and non-scheduled dual-use precursor chemicals, including hydrochloric acid, acetone, pseudoephedrine, sodium hydroxide, methylene chloride, ethanol, toluene, red phosphorus, and ethyl acetate.
Following the seizure, the NCB detained the firm's owner, Gaurav Aggarwal, from his residence in Baddi for questioning and cash amounting to around ₹25 lakh was also seized. Aggarwal has been booked under various provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. According to State Drugs Controller Dr Manish Kapoor, the pharmaceutical unit had remained under controversy for alleged manufacturing violations and was sealed till February this year. The unit was also searched earlier by the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF). DCA officials confirmed that further action against the manufacturer would be initiated after completion of the recovery proceedings and assessment of the seized material. The operation has once again highlighted the organised diversion of pharmaceutical drugs into illicit markets, posing a major challenge for drug regulators and narcotics enforcement agencies.
Industry executives expressed preparedness for the voluntary measures, with Hari Kiran Chereddi, managing director and CEO at HRV Pharma, stating that the pharmaceutical industry is prepared for voluntary measures. According to Mint, Chereddi noted that the industry already maintains strict documentation protocols for regulatory compliance and pharmacovigilance. The framework encourages companies to strengthen structural internal controls, including appointing a dedicated compliance officer for precursor vigilance and implement robust know-your-customer (KYC) procedures, end-use verification and periodic internal audits.
For production oversight, facilities are advised to maintain daily stock logs and calculate input-output ratios to identify yield discrepancies. As reported by Mint, records maintained under this framework should be retained for a minimum period of five years. The objective is not to impose additional compliance burdens on legitimate businesses but to build a collaborative framework that balances security with ease of doing business.
