Black Marketing Of Covid Drugs: Don’t Traffic Medicines Outside Odisha, Crime Branch Warns Stockists

Bhubaneswar: Taking a serious note of reports about black marketing of essential drugs used in the treatment of Covid-19 patients, the State Level Committee headed by Crime Branch ADG, Yashwant Jethwa on Saturday warned stockists not to despatch drugs outside the State on request made by hospitals.

The move comes as a precautionary measure to prevent the black marketing of Covid essential drugs and other essentials in Odisha.

“We have got information that in several states stockists are involved in irregularities and are directly delivering essential medicines to patients and outside based on hospital and patient requisition,” said Jethwa.

Based on such inputs, we have decided to warn C&F agents and stockists in the first phase and stern action will be taken against them if they were found delivering medicines to patients on prescription or sending medicines to hospitals outside Odisha.

Jethwa informed that so that no irregularities have been found in Odisha and soon a caution letter would be issued to stockists and others involved in the supply chain.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Odisha government has constituted the State Level Committee headed by the ADGP, Crime as Chairman and Joint Secretary, Health Department and Drugs Controller as Members to prevent hoarding and black marketing of Covid medicines in the State.

Around 23 flying squads including 7 in Cuttack-Bhubaneswar and 15 in the rest of the State are actively carrying out the enforcement.

In the last 24 hours, the Joint Flying Squads comprising Drug Inspectors, officials of Crime Branch, Special Task Force and local police carried out verification at various pharmaceutical firms at Chandni chowk in Cuttack, a Hospital in Bhubaneswar, 14 medical stores in Balasore and 3 in Jajpur.

Verification was also carried out at various medical stores / stockist depots / oxygen filling centres in Sambalpur, Koraput, Bhadrak, Bolangir and other parts. The records and stocks of entry and supply of Covid medicines and related items are being verified.