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Health
Pfizer depot in Bengaluru suspended after fake drug seizure; 16 licences revoked
✍️ The Indian Express
🗓 24 Sep 2026, 06:46 AM
👁 10
Authorities in Bengaluru have suspended a Pfizer distribution centre following the discovery of counterfeit medicines, and have cancelled 16 related licences.
The Karnataka state drug control department seized a large consignment of counterfeit medicines from a Pfizer distribution depot in Bengaluru on Monday. The operation, part of a broader crackdown on illegal pharmaceutical trade, led officials to suspend the depot’s operations pending further investigation.
In addition to the suspension, the department revoked 16 licences that were linked to the depot’s supply chain, citing violations of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. The licences pertained to distributors and sub‑contractors who were found to be involved in the circulation of the fake products.
Senior officials said the seized drugs could have posed serious health risks if they had entered the market. They assured the public that steps are being taken to trace the origin of the counterfeit batch and to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The incident underscores growing concerns over the infiltration of fake medicines into India’s pharmaceutical ecosystem, prompting calls for stricter monitoring and harsher penalties for offenders.
In addition to the suspension, the department revoked 16 licences that were linked to the depot’s supply chain, citing violations of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. The licences pertained to distributors and sub‑contractors who were found to be involved in the circulation of the fake products.
Senior officials said the seized drugs could have posed serious health risks if they had entered the market. They assured the public that steps are being taken to trace the origin of the counterfeit batch and to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The incident underscores growing concerns over the infiltration of fake medicines into India’s pharmaceutical ecosystem, prompting calls for stricter monitoring and harsher penalties for offenders.