Gujarat FDCA seizes ₹1.21 crore drugs in raids on pharma firms across state
Synopsis
Gujarat's FDCA has permanently cancelled licences of two firms manufacturing high-dose Tapentadol Hydrochloride and one selling prescription drugs online without authorisation, as part of a statewide sweep that seized or prohibited over ₹1.21 crore worth of drugs. The scale and variety of violations — from codeine hoarding to an Ayurvedic product laced with diclofenac — point to systemic gaps in pharma compliance across the state.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat FDCA seized or prohibited drugs worth over ₹1.21 crore in raids across Ahmedabad , Vadodara , Savli , and Bharuch on 2 May 2025 .
Pavan Formulation had drugs worth ₹76.51 lakh prohibited for storing codeine-based syrup and narcotic medicines with record discrepancies.
Licences of Medicament Solutions (P) Limited and Amico Formulation LLP (Vadodara) and ALPHARD Pharma (Bharuch) were permanently cancelled for high-dose Tapentadol manufacturing and prescription-free online drug sales.
AEDMAX Lifecare 's licence was suspended for 15 days for illegal sale of Rexcron-T codeine syrup .
An Ayurvedic product 'HABBE AUJA' at Yusuf Medicines was declared spurious after testing positive for allopathic ingredient diclofenac .
Health Minister Praful Pansheriya chaired a meeting with senior FDCA officials, directing stringent action under a stated zero tolerance policy.
Gujarat's Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) has seized or prohibited drugs worth more than ₹1.21 crore during coordinated raids on pharmaceutical firms across Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Savli, and Bharuch, as part of a statewide crackdown on spurious, substandard, and addictive medicines. Gujarat Health Minister Praful Pansheriya announced the enforcement drive on Saturday, 2 May, stating that the state government has adopted a policy of zero tolerance against illegal drug trade.
Key Enforcement Actions in Ahmedabad
A raid on Pavan Formulation in Ahmedabad uncovered large quantities of codeine-based syrup along with substantial stocks of narcotic, habit-forming, and abuse-prone medicines. Serious discrepancies were detected in purchase and sales records, leading to the prohibition of drugs worth more than ₹76.51 lakh.
At Yusuf Medicines in Gomtipur, an Ayurvedic product labelled 'HABBE AUJA' was found to contain the allopathic ingredient diclofenac. The product was declared spurious and stock worth approximately ₹12,000 was seized. Separately, Times Medicament Private Limited had drugs worth ₹4.60 lakh seized for shifting premises without approval and billing irregularities related to Mounjaro injections.
The licence of AEDMAX Lifecare was suspended for 15 days for the illegal sale of Rexcron-T codeine syrup. Authorities are also verifying sales records of Maxila Mediscience Private Limited, which manufactures medicines containing psychotropic substances including tramadol and alprazolam. At an unlicensed shop at Manhar Nagar Shopping Centre (E-24), stock worth nearly ₹40 lakh was seized and legal action initiated.
Licence Cancellations in Vadodara
In Vadodara, Medicament Solutions (P) Limited was found selling Mounjaro KwikPen injections online without a doctor's prescription, using misleading advertisements and dispatching medicines without medical examination. The company's licence has been permanently cancelled and legal proceedings initiated.
Another Vadodara-based firm, Amico Formulation LLP, was found manufacturing high-dose Tapentadol Hydrochloride drugs — doses with a high likelihood of narcotic misuse. Its production licence was cancelled with immediate effect. In Savli taluka's Ghantiyal village, officials collected 22 samples from the same firm; the Vadodara laboratory declared the sample of 'Mixacrip Caplets' as
Point of View
A diclofenac-laced Ayurvedic product, prescription-free sales of Mounjaro injections, and two firms manufacturing abuse-grade Tapentadol — suggests that Gujarat's pharma compliance ecosystem has significant structural gaps, not isolated rogue actors. Permanent licence cancellations are a stronger signal than suspensions, but the real test is whether criminal prosecution follows or whether these firms resurface under new registrations. India's drug regulatory architecture has long been criticised for post-facto enforcement rather than preventive surveillance; this sweep, while substantial, does not yet indicate a systemic fix.
NationPress
10 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What drugs were seized in the Gujarat FDCA raids on 2 May 2025?
Gujarat's FDCA seized or prohibited drugs worth over ₹1.21 crore, including codeine-based syrups, high-dose Tapentadol Hydrochloride, and an Ayurvedic product found to contain diclofenac, across raids in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Savli, and Bharuch.
Which companies had their licences permanently cancelled?
Medicament Solutions (P) Limited and Amico Formulation LLP in Vadodara had their licences permanently cancelled — the former for selling Mounjaro KwikPen injections online without prescriptions, and the latter for manufacturing high-dose Tapentadol Hydrochloride. ALPHARD Pharma in Bharuch had its export permit permanently cancelled following the Central government's revocation of its NOC.
What is the Gujarat government's stated policy on drug enforcement?
Health Minister Praful Pansheriya stated that the state government has adopted a 'zero tolerance' policy against the illegal sale of spurious, substandard, and addictive drugs, and that there will be no compromise on citizen health under any circumstances.
Why is Tapentadol Hydrochloride a concern in these raids?
High-dose Tapentadol Hydrochloride has a high likelihood of misuse as a narcotic substance rather than for legitimate medical treatment, according to FDCA officials. Both Amico Formulation LLP and ALPHARD Pharma were found manufacturing such doses, leading to immediate licence cancellations.
What action was taken against the unlicensed shop at Manhar Nagar Shopping Centre?
Drugs worth nearly ₹40 lakh were seized from a shop on the first floor (E-24) of Manhar Nagar Shopping Centre in Ahmedabad, which was storing medicines for sale without a valid licence. Legal action has been initiated against the responsible entity.
