In a significant breakthrough in Telangana, the state’s drug regulatory authorities thwarted an attempt by pharmaceutical firm Jodas Expoim Pvt. Ltd to misrepresent antibiotics as their own for export to Russia, even though these medications were produced by other manufacturers.
Officials from the drug control department revealed that Jodas Expoim lacked the necessary drug manufacturing license for these specific antibiotics.
On November 26, authorities executed a raid at Jodas Expoim’s manufacturing premises, confiscating substantial antibiotic stocks intended for Russian export. It was uncovered that similar export activities had occurred two months prior.
G Ramdhan, Telangana’s drug controller, stated that legal proceedings under Section 18 (c) and Section 17 (B) (c) of the drug legislation have been initiated against the company. This manufacturing unit is situated in the Biotech Park located in the Siddipet District’s Karakapatla.
Sharing insights, a department official said Jodas holds a loan license with an Indore-based pharma firm in Madhya Pradesh, misusing this company’s name on the antibiotic labels. Consequent raids on Jodas Expoim’s facilities and warehouses revealed antibiotics valued at Rs. 1.33 crore.
Ramdhan added that the operation stemmed from a tip-off about unauthorized antibiotic packaging by Jodas. Charges were filed under various clauses of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
Seized items included 38,175 vials of ampicillin+sulbactam 1000 mg + 500 mg injections, fraudulently branded as products of Jodas Expoim Pvt Ltd and Alpa Laboratories Ltd in Indore. The actual manufacturer was Indian Genomix Pvt. Ltd from Cherlapally, Medchal-Malkajgiri District, Telangana. This consignment was fraudulently destined for Russian export claiming Jodas Expoim as the manufacturer.
Further inspections disclosed that various other antibiotics, including amoxicillin 1000 mg + clavulanic acid 200 mg, ampicillin + sulbactam 2000 mg + 1000 mg, and meropenem 500 mg, had been exported to Russia in October and November 2024. These were also manufactured by different companies but misleadingly labeled under Jodas Expoim Pvt. Ltd, with unapproved packaging operations detected.