Gujarat FDCA cancels licences of 50 drug firms, seizes 42,988 kg of suspected products
Synopsis
Gujarat's FDCA cancelled licences of 50 drug firms, shut two manufacturing units, and seized over 42,988 kg of suspected food and drug products worth ₹93.47 lakh in a single month — while simultaneously busting a counterfeit medicine supply chain traced from Lucknow to Ahmedabad. The scale and geographic spread of August's enforcement action signals a structural shift in how Gujarat is policing its pharmaceutical and food supply chains.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat FDCA cancelled sales licences of 50 drug firms and ordered closure of two manufacturing units in August 2024 .
More than 42,988 kg of suspected products valued at ₹93.47 lakh were seized across the state.
Licences of eight drug manufacturing firms were suspended; manufacturing licences for 11 medicines were cancelled.
Counterfeit 'Nicardia Retard 10' tablets — falsely attributed to J.B.
Chemicals — were traced from Sena Pharma, Lucknow to Ahmedabad; a complaint was filed with the Ahmedabad Crime Branch .
Food safety drive covered 2,238 food business operators ; 38 establishments faced licence cancellation or serious action.
Health Minister Praful Pansheriya directed a 'zero tolerance' approach and continuous surprise inspections under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 .
Gujarat's Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) cancelled the sales licences of 50 drug firms and ordered the closure of two drug manufacturing units in August 2024, following inspections that uncovered serious operational deficiencies. Simultaneously, more than 42,988 kg of suspected food and drug products valued at an estimated ₹93.47 lakh were seized across the state, according to details presented at a high-level review meeting in Gandhinagar.
Key Enforcement Actions
The FDCA suspended licences of eight drug manufacturing firms and cancelled manufacturing licences for 11 medicines following risk-based inspections. Show-cause notices were issued to manufacturers of 20 medicines that failed laboratory quality tests. Of 42 blood storage centres inspected across Gujarat, three received closure orders and 12 were served show-cause notices.
A targeted antibiotic quality drive in rural areas resulted in 588 medicine samples being collected for testing — a signal that enforcement is now reaching beyond urban distribution networks.
Crackdown on Narcotics and Counterfeit Medicines
The FDCA, in a joint operation with the Special Operations Group, seized a stock of narcotic injections — including tramadol — from a shop adjacent to a medical store in Waghodia, Vadodara district. Proceedings under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act are being initiated, according to the department.
In a separate investigation into counterfeit 'Nicardia Retard 10' tablets — falsely labelled as manufactured by J.B. Chemicals — officials conducted inspections at more than 30 locations, tracing a supply chain from Sena Pharma in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, to Ahmedabad and Sanand. Suspicious stock worth more than ₹1.75 lakh was seized or prohibited, and a complaint was registered with the Ahmedabad Crime Branch for further investigation.
Separately, cosmetics worth more than ₹2.68 lakh were seized from Aanki Herbal in Tragad, Ahmedabad, which was allegedly operating without a licence. At Bavishi Dispensary in Dholikui, Kapadvanj, officials detected the illegal manufacture of a medicine intended for small children and seized material worth ₹66,400.
Food Safety Campaign: Scale and Seizures
The food safety drive covered more than 2,238 food business operators in August, with around 2,591 samples collected for laboratory testing. Among the largest seizures were 14,709 kg of oil and 6,495 kg of edible oil in Patan; 5,157 kg of ghee in Kamrej, Surat; 7,138 kg of milk in Jamnagar; and 6,071 kg of chilli powder in Deesa, Banaskantha.
More than 1,625 restaurants and dhabas were inspected for hygiene and food quality. Improvement notices went to 306 establishments where deficiencies were found, while action — including licence cancellation — was taken against 38 establishments for serious lapses. Intensive inspections were carried out in Surat, Valsad, Anand, Jamnagar and Mehsana.
Dairy Analogue Crackdown
The FDCA inspected 3,078 firms, collected 145 suspicious samples and destroyed 2,553.10 kg of substandard dairy analogue products valued at ₹7,54,386. Action was also taken against the illegal sale and use of dairy analogues — products that mimic dairy but are sold without proper disclosure or authorisation.
Government's Stated Position
The enforcement review was chaired by state Health Minister Praful Pansheriya at the Secretariat in Gandhinagar. Pansheriya directed officials to maintain a 'zero tolerance' approach towards fake, substandard, and illegally sold medicines and food products, and instructed continuous surveillance over commonly consumed items — particularly milk, ghee, oil and spices. He said the government would pursue strict legal action against those compromising public health, and directed authorities to continue surprise inspections under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
This latest enforcement wave builds on similar action reported earlier in 2024, suggesting a sustained rather than episodic push by the Gujarat FDCA. With laboratory results from nearly 2,591 food samples still pending, further action is expected in the weeks ahead.
Point of View
A cross-state counterfeit supply chain bust, and nearly 43,000 kg of seized products — suggests this is more than routine enforcement. Yet the critical question is what follows the seizures: how many of these cases convert into prosecutions, and how many firms simply re-apply under different names? Gujarat's FDCA has a history of high-volume enforcement drives that generate impressive monthly statistics but limited long-term deterrence. The Lucknow-to-Ahmedabad counterfeit trail also exposes a structural gap — state-level food and drug regulators have limited jurisdiction once a supply chain crosses state lines, making central coordination under the CDSCO essential. Without that, the same networks resurface.
NationPress
2 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What action did Gujarat FDCA take in August 2024?
Gujarat's FDCA cancelled sales licences of 50 drug firms, ordered closure of two manufacturing units, suspended licences of eight firms, and cancelled manufacturing licences for 11 medicines. More than 42,988 kg of suspected products worth ₹93.47 lakh were seized across the state.
What were the counterfeit 'Nicardia Retard 10' tablets and where did they come from?
'Nicardia Retard 10' tablets were found to be counterfeit — falsely labelled as manufactured by J.B. Chemicals. Investigations traced the supply chain from Sena Pharma in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, to Ahmedabad and Sanand. A complaint was registered with the Ahmedabad Crime Branch for further investigation.
What narcotic drugs were seized during the Gujarat FDCA crackdown?
In a joint operation with the Special Operations Group, the FDCA seized narcotic injections including tramadol from a shop next to a medical store in Waghodia, Vadodara district. Proceedings under the NDPS Act are being initiated.
Which food products were seized in the Gujarat food safety drive?
Major seizures included 14,709 kg of oil and 6,495 kg of edible oil in Patan, 5,157 kg of ghee in Kamrej (Surat), 7,138 kg of milk in Jamnagar, and 6,071 kg of chilli powder in Deesa, Banaskantha. Around 2,591 food samples were collected for laboratory testing from 2,238 food business operators.
Who oversees the Gujarat FDCA enforcement drive?
The enforcement review was chaired by Gujarat Health Minister Praful Pansheriya at the Secretariat in Gandhinagar. He directed officials to maintain a zero-tolerance approach and continue surprise inspections under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
