Pregabalin among intoxicants worth Rs 14.80L seized

The Health Department today confiscated a huge quantity of intoxicant drugs that included pregabalin from a medical store in the Katra Sher Singh market in the walled city here today. The seized medicines were worth Rs 14.80 lakhs.

The district magistrates of various districts in the border state had already banned the sale of pregabalin formulations exceeding 75 mg due to rising concerns over their abuse. Former Amritsar Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori had written to the Health Secretary, urging stricter regulation of the drug to prevent addiction. He had emphasised the need for stringent guidelines on prescribing pregabalin and its classification as a controlled substance.

The district drug control officer, Bableen Kaur, said she, along with the zonal licensing authority, Kulwinder Singh, inspected Maa Chintpurni Phamaceuticals at Katra Sher Singh on Wednesday. She said during inspection six types of drugs, including 4,400 capsules of pregabalin 150 mg and 300 mg and 4,200 capsules of gabapentin, were seized. The store in-charge, Rajan Trehan, failed to produce any record regarding the sale and purchase of gabapentin, while the district administration had banned the sale of pregabalin formulations exceeding 75 mg.

“The seized drugs have a market value of approximately Rs 14.80 lakh,” said Bableen, adding police officials were also joined in the investigations. The police have registered an FIR for violating orders of the district magistrate, she added.