A pharmaceutical unit in Baddi was yesterday raided by ANTF, Mohali, as it has recovered 12,000 sedative tablets of Alprazolam 0.5 mg that were reportedly being diverted illegally. The raid has been conducted on the backdrop of growing complaints regarding illegal sale of sedatives in the State of Punjab.

HighLights:

1. Reason for raid:

2. The raid came after an arrest was made on a person who was found to be in possession of 12,000 Alprazolam 0.5 mg tablets and 1 kg of heroin in Ludhiana.

3. Preliminary investigations showed that the tablets, manufactured by the Baddi-based firm, were diverted to Punjab for unauthorized sales.

  2.  Information Released from the Investigation:

• The pharmaceutical company had a valid license to manufacture the tablets and had sold them to a dealer in Uttar Pradesh through proper purchase orders and e-way bills.

• The Uttar Pradesh dealer who had made the purchase has gone missing, and there is a suspicion of illegal diversion of the tablets.

  3.  Investigations at the Pharmaceutical Unit:

• ANTF Punjab, under the leadership of DSP Harpal Singh, checked all the sales records of Alprazolam 0.5 mg at the unit.

• The firm's records revealed no irregularities in its manufacturing or dispatch processes.

• Info about sales had been passed on to drug and police authorities according to state drug control regulations.

  4.  Context of the Drug:

• Alprazolam is commonly used to treat anxiety and panic disorders, however, is widely abused as a sedative in Punjab.

• It comes under the purview of both Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

  5.  Previous Raid:

• The same pharmaceutical house was raided earlier on January 8, 2025, after 50,000 Tramadol tablets were seized in Amritsar.

• The firm's records during that probe were also found complaint.

Statements by Officials:

• State Drug Administration Official:

"The pharmaceutical unit had a valid license, and the tablets were sold with proper documentation to a trader in Uttar Pradesh. However, the tablets were diverted to Punjab for illegal sale. The disappearance of the Uttar Pradesh dealer is indicative of unauthorized activity."The authorities are mounting efforts to track the trader from Uttar Pradesh and determine the extent of the illegal diversion. The raid throws light on how vigilance with stricter enforcement becomes the need of the hour to curb the misuse of sedatives like Alprazolam.