Drugs Ban

US military strikes on 3 boats in eastern Pacific Ocean, kill eight people

The US military said Monday that it attacked three boats accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing a total of eight people as scrutiny over the boat strikes is intensifying in Congress. The military said in a statement on social media that the strikes targeted designated terrorist organisations, killing three people in the first vessel, two in the second boat and three in the third boat. It didn't provide evidence of their alleged drug trafficking but posted a video of a boat moving through water before exploding. President Donald Trump has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and asserted the US is engaged in an armed conflict with drug cartels. But the Trump administration is facing increasing scrutiny from lawmakers over the boat strike campaign, which has killed at least 95 people in 25 known strikes since early September, including a follow-up strike that killed two survivors clinging to the ...

Kerala stops sale of Sresan drugs after Tamil Nadu cancels company licence

The Kerala government on Tuesday banned the distribution of medicines manufactured by Tamil Nadu-based Sresan Pharmaceuticals. The decision follows steps by the Tamil Nadu Drugs Controller to cancel the company's licence, state Health Minister Veena George said. Sales of Respifresh TR, manufactured by a Gujarat-based firm, were also stopped immediately after the drug was found to be substandard, the minister said in a statement. There are five distributors in the state supplying this medicine, and they have been instructed to stop distribution, George said. Strict action will be taken against those selling this medicine. Those in possession of this drug are requested not to use it. These medicines are not distributed through government hospitals. She added that strict action would be initiated against establishments that provide medicines to children under the age of 12 without a prescription from an authorised doctor. The ban comes after reports that 14 children in Chhindwara, M

Modi govt determined to wipe out drug menace from India, says Amit Shah

The Narendra Modi government is determined to wipe out all kinds of narcotics from the nation and is making an all-out effort to achieve this goal, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday. Addressing the Second National Conference of Heads of Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of States and Union Territories, he also said the time has come to change the scale of action against the drug menace so that there are more successes in the coming days. The conference, organised by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), began here on Tuesday. The home minister said Prime Minister Modi has set a target of 2047 to make India a fully developed and great nation. To achieve this dream of PM Modi, the country has to be fully secure, he said. "The Modi government is determined to wipe out the drug menace from the country and is making all-out efforts to achieve this goal," Shah said. "PM Modi has set forth the vision of creating an India by 2047 that will be the world's number one in every aspec

Chemists urge crackdown on instant online delivery of high-risk medicines

Chemists' body urges action against e-pharmacies, quick commerce apps for delivering high-risk drugs without checks, warning of rising misuse and youth addiction

Punjab becomes first state to launch evidence-based anti-drug curriculum

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will inaugurate the programme on August 1

International Day Against Drug Abuse 2025: Date, theme, and why it matters

Observed on June 26, the day raises global awareness about drug abuse and illicit trafficking. The 2025 theme, "Break the Cycle. #StopOrganisedCrime," calls for long-term action and reform

Govt bans manufacture, sale of 35 unapproved fixed-dose combination drugs

Apex drugs regulatory body CDSCO has directed drug controllers of all states and Union territories to stop manufacture, sale and distribution of unapproved 35 fixed-dose combination drugs that include painkillers, nutrition supplements and anti-diabetics. They have also been asked to review their approval process for such fixed dose combination drugs (FDC) and ensure strict compliance of the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 and rules. FDC drugs are those which contain a combination of two or more active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in a fixed ratio. The regulator issued the directions after it found that certain FDC drugs have been licensed for manufacture, sale, and distribution without prior evaluation of safety and efficacy, posing a serious risk to public health and safety. In a communication sent on April 11, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr Rajeev Raghuvanshi referred to the letter issued by his office on January 2013 where concerns were raise

CDSCO brings new rules for drugs transfer from SEZ units to domestic mkt

In a circular dated April 8, the CDSCO mandated a new procedure to streamline the transfer of drugs manufactured in SEZs to DTAs for sale and distribution

Punjab Police launches massive anti-drugs op across state, Cong takes dig

Punjab Police has launched a statewide operation against drugs, conducting raids at 750 locations as the cabinet sub-committee on the drug menace held its first meeting on Saturday, officials said. Around 12,000 police personnel were involved in the operation being carried out as part of an anti-drug campaign. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday set a deadline of three months to make the state drug-free. As part of the state government's renewed push against the drug problem, action is being taken against drug peddlers and in some places, their properties were also demolished. Cabinet Minister Aman Arora on Saturday appealed to all political parties that instead of playing politics, they should extend their support to the state government's anti-drug campaign to save Punjab. The meeting of the cabinet sub-committee was also attended by Chief Secretary KAP Sinha and Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav. Addressing the media after the meeting, Finance Minister Harpal Si

Irritated with WADA, US Congress may give govt authority to stop payments

A bipartisan group of lawmakers looking for reforms at the World Anti-Doping Agency reintroduced a bill that would give the White House permanent authority to withhold money from the drug-fighting agency. The Restoring Confidence in the World Anti-Doping Agency Act would make permanent an already temporary ability to hold back the money. It would put more teeth behind the government's recent decision not to pay $3.6 million to WADA a move WADA said would cost the U.S. its seat on one of its top policymaking boards. The federal government has long been critical of WADA. The agency's handling of a doping case involving Chinese swimmers who were allowed to compete despite testing positive reignited tensions that have simmered since the Russian doping scandal erupted in 2014. My colleagues and I have a message for WADA, the IOC, and any other international organization who tries to strong-arm the United States: we are calling your bluff, and we won't be silenced in our mission to promo

FIU helped detecting Rs 11k cr undisclosed income, 461 kg narcotics: FinMin

The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) has helped in detection of undisclosed income of Rs 11,000 crore and seizure of 461 kg of narcotic drugs, the finance ministry said on Thursday. The FIU under the finance ministry collects, analyses and disseminates information to law enforcement agencies about suspicious financial transactions pertaining to money laundering, terror and proliferation financing. The intelligence shared by FIU-IND with agencies has led to Rs 983 crore worth of assets attached, Rs 2,763 crore worth criminal proceeds identified and Rs 10,998 crore undisclosed income detected. Besides, it helped in seizure of 461 kg of narcotic/psychotropic substances, levy of Rs 39.14 crore penalty and 184 arrests in money laundering and terror financing cases. In a post on X, the finance ministry also said 46.31 per cent higher refunds were issued between April-November 27, 2024, during FY25. Refunds amounting to Rs 3.08 lakh crore issued during this period.

Delhi Guv Saxena directs crackdown to make capital drug-free in 3 years

Earlier, in a bid to tackle the growing problem of drug abuse, LG Saxena announced the launch of a one-month anti-drug campaign set to begin on December 1

Delhi LG declares war on drugs with a campaign to make capital drug-free

The announcement came during the ninth review meeting of the State-Level Narco Coordination Centre

CDSCO flags 4 drugs as spurious and 48 as not of standard quality

The apex drug regulatory body also listed 48 drugs and formulations, manufactured by 40 companies, as not of standard quality (NSQ)

How safe is the pill? Substandard drugs on a decline amid crackdown

The first of a two-part series focuses on how quality audits and regulatory actions on pharma units nationwide are showing results

After Torrent, Alkem refutes claims of its drugs failing CDSCO test

Company claims samples of Pan-D, Clavam 625 tested were spurious, not manufactured by it

India's psychotropic drug market flooded with unapproved FDCs: Study

Over 60 per cent of the fixed-dose combination (FDC) drugs used for treating mental health disorders in India are 'unapproved' and lack proven therapeutic value, the study found

Govt will give special grants to villages with drug-free status: Punjab CM

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Wednesday said his government will give special grants to the villages that attain the drug-free status, as he inaugurated a new office for the state's apex anti-drug unit. Speaking after inaugurating the new office of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) in Mohali, the chief minister said his government is committed to make Punjab a drug-free state. "The state government will give special grants to the drug-free villages across Punjab," he said. These grants will be used for the promotion of sports and sporting infrastructure in villages, helping channelise the unbounded energy of the youth in a positive direction, he said. Already players from Punjab have brought laurels for the country in events like the Olympics, he said, adding youths from the state will bag more medals. On the occasion, he also launched anti-drug Helpline and WhatsApp Chatbot (9779100200), according to an official statement. Speaking after inspecting the newly constructed

At least 1 arrest made in connection to Matthew Perry's death: Reports

Authorities have arrested at least one person in connection with Matthew Perry's death from an accidental ketamine overdose last year, a law enforcement official tells The Associated Press. The official was not authorised to discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity. Authorities have scheduled a news conference in Los Angeles to announce details in the case later Thursday morning. Los Angeles police said in May that they were working with the US Drug Enforcement Administration and the US Postal Inspection Service with a probe into why the 54-year-old had so much of the surgical anesthetic in his system. An assistant found Perry face down in his hot tub on October 28, and paramedics who were called immediately declared him dead. His autopsy, released in December, found that the amount of ketamine in his blood was in the range used for general anaesthesia during surgery. The decades-old drug has seen a huge surge in use in recent years as

Radical preacher Amritpal's brother held by Jalandhar police in drug case

Radical Sikh preacher and Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh's brother Harpreet Singh has been apprehended by Jalandhar police in a drug case, a senior police official said on Friday. Harpreet Singh was nabbed along with another accomplice, identified as Lovepreet Singh alias Luv, by Jalandhar Rural police on Thursday evening, the official said. Four grams of ICE (methamphetamine) drug was recovered from him during checking of the car in which the duo was travelling, he said. The official said that Harpreet Singh is aged between 30-35 and "was into some dispatching work in transport". Both Harpreet Singh and Lovepreet Singh hail from Amritsar, he added. Amritpal Singh is currently lodged in a prison in Assam's Dibrugarh district for offences under the National Security Act (NSA). Recently, he was flown to Delhi on a four-day custody parole for taking oath as a Lok Sabha member. Having fought the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as an independent, Amritpal Singh won from the Khadoor Sahib se