Karnataka FDA cracks down on illegal e-commerce pharma storage

The FDA seize unlicensed medical stock from major e-commerce facilities while penalizing a prominent Bengaluru club for severe pest infestations.

The Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) seized medicines worth ₹4,02,352 from two unlicensed e-commerce storage facilities, and in a separate inspection, found 40 bottles of expired soft drinks and pest infestation at Bengaluru’s Hockey Club, officials said on Sunday.

State officials seized ₹4,02,352 worth of medicines from e-commerce storage facilities in Thattanahalli and Devanahalli, according to the FDA. (Picture credit: Freepik)

According to officials, the drug seizures followed raids at the facilities in Thattanahalli in Anekal taluk and Aerospace in Devanahalli on Sunday. The food safety inspection on Saturday at the Hockey Club, within Greater Bengaluru Authority limits, found violations involving expired products, food labelling, hygiene and pest control, they said.

At Thattanahalli, a team led by Manohar, assistant drugs controller with the state intelligence branch, and regional drugs inspectors searched the premises of M/s Amazon Seller Services Pvt Ltd. Medicines valued at ₹2,45,352 were seized from the facility after they were found stored without a valid drug licence, the FDA said in a release.

A separate team led by Vibha, drugs inspector, Bangalore Rural, inspected the M/s Amazon facility at Aerospace in Devanahalli and seized medicines worth ₹1,57,000 from the unlicensed premises, the release said.

The department said the operations were based on “precise intelligence regarding major compliance breaches” and described the raids as a “swift and coordinated crackdown on the illegal storage and distribution of pharmaceuticals”.

HT reached out to Amazon India through email for a response, but the company had not responded till the time of going to press.

Meanwhile, the food safety inspection at the Hockey Club found 40 bottles of expired soft drinks in storage, along with soda bottles whose labelling did not meet requirements prescribed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), officials said.

The inspection report also recorded unhygienic conditions in areas used for preparing and storing food. Officials found pest infestation in food preparation areas and said the presence of pests had created conditions that could lead to contamination.

The Food Safety Division issued a notice to the club’s food business operator following the inspection. Expired food products and items carrying non-compliant labels were also seized.

The department said the deficiencies involved both food safety and hygiene requirements and that further proceedings would be taken under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the applicable regulations.

“In view of the deficiencies observed relating to food safety and hygiene, a notice has been issued to the concerned Food Business Operator (FBO), and further legal action will be initiated as per the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the applicable Regulations, 2011,” the department said.

The inspection was conducted under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration) Regulations, 2011.

The department said inspections of establishments involved in the manufacture, storage and sale of food would continue.

“Continuous inspections will be carried out against food manufacturing, storage and sale establishments violating food safety and quality standards, and stringent legal action will be taken as per the applicable laws and regulations,” it said.

HT reached out to the Hockey Club, but did not get a response.