Punjab Police claims busting illegal pharma factory in Himachal; owner arrested

Chandigarh, May 28 (PTI) The Punjab Police said on Friday that they had busted an alleged illegal pharmaceutical factory in Himachal Pradesh and seized over 30 lakh tablets and capsules of pharma opioids valued at nearly Rs 15 crore from its premises.

The Punjab Police, in a statement here, said they had conducted a raid at a unit in Paonta Sahib in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday and arrested the factory owner.

Director General of Police, Punjab, Dinkar Gupta said that as part of the ongoing drive against drugs, the Amritsar Rural Police, led by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dhruv Dahiya, busted the Himachal Pradesh-based factory dealing with illegal manufacturing and supply of pharmaceutical drugs.

Gupta, in a statement, said that as part of the investigation into another case, the Punjab Police, while acting on the basis of the inputs gathered, conducted a raid at the factory in the presence of local Himachal Pradesh Police and drug inspector of Sirmaur district.   Two drug inspectors, Sukhdeep Singh and Amarpal Malli, from Amritsar also accompanied the raiding team, he said.

The DGP said that the police have recovered 30,16,332 intoxicant tablets, including 12.45 lakh opioid pain medication capsule and 7.72 of these in tablet form, 9.99 lakh sleeping tablets, which are also used for anxiety disorders, all valued at nearly Rs 15 crore from the illegal factory being run in Himachal Pradesh.

He said that the factory was being sealed and the arrested person will be brought to Punjab after completing all the legal formalities.

SSP Dhruv Dahiya said that the FIR under various provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act was registered at Mattewal Police Station in Amritsar Rural and further investigation into the case is underway.

Meanwhile, earlier in 2020, the Punjab Police had unearthed an illegal pharma trade after seizing a big haul of 2.8 crore tablets and capsules of pharma opioid at Narela (Delhi). PTI SUN VSD KJ