Banned antibiotic powder worth Rupees 15 lakh seized

Eluru: The Excise Enforcement officials and Drug inspectors conducted surprise raids on a house in Sanivarapupeta village in Eluru rural mandal and seized antibiotic powder banned in the aqua sector on Saturday night.

According to officials, on a tip-off, the Excise Enforcement officials led by Assistant Excise Superintendent Nagendra, CI Ajay Kumar raided the house of Reddy Ramaswamy, a retired employee of APSRTC opposite ZP High School in Sanivarapupeta. During their raid, they found 20 Tins of banned antibiotics of Ciprofloxacin, Cirazoline in powder form.

The Excise officials said that Ramaswamy’s sons Reddy Suresh and Reddy Srinivas are running Naveen Enterprises, a pharma company in Hyderabad and sending these antibiotics that are banned in the aqua sector in big lots. From here, the antibiotics are reaching the fish farmers to use in the fishponds to breed the fish.

These two drugs in tablet form is used to treat human diseases. In powder form, it will be used in the fish ponds. The Excise officials conducted these raids as they were of the Narcotic category and informed the matter to Drug Inspectors.

On their information, the Drug department Assistant Director Vijaya Sekhar along with his officers reached the spot and verified the medicine tins. The Assistant Director confirmed that these antibiotics were banned in aqua ponds as it will affect the fish as well as the human who consumed the fish.

The Drug Officials seized the 20 tins of the antibiotic powder that costs Rs.15 lakh and registered case against the house owner Reddy Ramaswamy. The officials said action would be initiated against his sons Suresh and Srinivas too.