Hyderabad, October 07: Fake blood glucose monitoring test strips were seized from two medical and surgical stores in the city on Wednesday. Police said usage of these counterfeit strips can lead to a health risk to the user as insulin dosage is adjusted according to the result shown by the test strip.
On credible information, Task Force sleuths raided M/s Hi-tech Surgical Store at Inder Bagh, Gujarati Galli, run by 43-year-old Mohammed Abdul Taher alias Taher, a resident of Hussainialam. “Taher has been selling
counterfeit-labelled blood glucose test strips which he procured in cheap from Monda market,’’ additional deputy commissioner of police (Task Force) M Srinivasulu said in a release.
Police found that Taher was procuring the test strips from Ajay Gupta, who runs Ajay Medicals at Maruthi Street without a valid licence. “This amounts to violation of the Copyright Act,’’ the release said.
On interrogation, police came to know the strips were purchased by Ajay Gupta from agents of Karan Trivedi, proprietor of Maruti Surgicals located on Kalba Devi road in Mumbai. Police said the counterfeit strips were sold as products made by Life Scan of Johnson and Johnson. It was also found the test strips were not stored under proper temperature (less than 30 degree Celsius).
The strips are a regulated drug product as per the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 and require a drug licence from the Food and Drug Control department for storage and selling. “Both the accused were not having the licence,’’ Srinivasulu said.
“These strips are used by diabetic patients to check blood glucose levels and they adjust their insulin dosage accordingly. Counterfeit strips may give erratic reading which could result in taking incorrect insulin dosage which can prove to be a life threat to diabetic patients,’’ Srinivasulu said.
Police seized 43 boxes of the strips with 25 packs each in a box. Taher and Ajay Gupta along with the seized property were handed over to the Sultan Bazar police for further action. Police said they would arrest Karan Trivedi soon.
–Agencies