Following a tip off from the intelligence branch of the drugs control department, Kerala, the officials at the ADC office in Kozhikodu conducted surprise raids in several pharmacy stores in Malappuram district and legal action initiated against one store for selling schedule H drugs without prescription.

The pharmacy was found selling anabolic steroids to body building enthusiasts allegedly with the motivation of trainers. The licence of the pharmacy has been cancelled following the raid.

The inspectors have seized illegally sold drugs such as Decabid 25 mg Injection and Nandone 25 mg Injection from Palora Pharmacy at Valancherry. These are included in Schedule H in the Drugs and Cosmetics Act (D&C) and can be sold against prescriptions.

“The retailer was found to be selling these drugs without prescription and without issuing cash/credit bills violating the provisions of the Act. Departmental action has been recommended against the licensee. Both these drugs contain the same chemical nandrolone phenyl propionate (NPP), which closely resembles the male sex hormone testosterone,” said Shaji M Varghese, the intelligence branch inspector at Kozhikodu.

According to him, this drug is usually prescribed to treat osteoporosis in post menopausal women and for weight gain and speedy recovery in severely debilitated patients. In US, it is classified as Schedule III controlled substance under the Anabolic Steroids Control Act 1990 and its illicit possession/ use is a punishable offence.

At Health World at Kottakkal, the officials seized drugs Equigan, Andriol Testocaps and Methane Dienone tablets which were being sold without obtaining licenses. These drugs were stocked in the shop along with specialized nutritional supplements ,for the purpose of sale to body builders. Shaji said the person in charge of the pharmacy has  admitted that requisite licenses under the provisions of D&C Act were not obtained by the shop owner. Here also, the purchase bills pertaining to these drugs were not produced on demand.

The seized products were produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate court at Malappuram.

The officials said A M Nutrition at Valanchery was selling fortified dietary supplements to body builders. But no stock of drugs was recovered from the shop. When contacted the drugs controller CS Satheesh Kumar, said the seizure of imported anabolics at a pharmacy in Malappuram district shows that there is a network of online pharmacy centered at the district. He said it might be supported by the body building community capable of supplying controlled drugs through clandestine sources.

The raid was conducted simultaneously at Health World, Kottakkal, A M Nutrition and at Palora Pharmacy, Valancherry, led by intelligence branch drugs inspector Shaji M Varghese, drug inspectors A K Raveendran, A HarishKumar, CV Noufal, M Anas and K Keethu.