Police in Vadodara, Gujarat, have arrested a shop owner and seized a large quantity of illegal drugs and steroids, including testosterone injections and hormone pills marketed for bodybuilding, after a raid in the city’s Manjalpur area. Authorities say the medications, which included anabolic steroids and injectable hormone drugs were being sold without prescriptions or valid invoices, raising concerns about unregulated distribution of pharmacological agents.
The Vadodara Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) conducted the operation based on a specific tip-off, targeting a store that sold nutritional supplements. The proprietor, 35-year-old Amish Kumar Kori, was taken into custody after he failed to produce documentary evidence showing lawful sale or purchase of the substances found in his shop. Police seized products worth approximately ₹2.83 lakh, including:
Imported steroid tablets of various brands
Injectable vials of testosterone hormone such as testosterone propionate
Multiple pills and injectables commonly associated with body-building use
Around 30 different supplements and steroid products
According to police, many of the seized substances, including methandienone, stanozolol, nandrolone, oxandrolone, and testosterone propionate are controlled drugs that legally require a prescription and proper documentation for sale and use. Investigators said these types of drugs are often procured by individuals seeking rapid muscle growth or physical enhancement.
The DCB has registered a case and is continuing its investigation into the sources of the seized medications and possible distribution networks. Law enforcement officials noted that the accused had been in the nutritional supplement business for about ten years and allegedly used the storefront to sell controlled drugs under the guise of nutrition products.
Anabolic steroids and hormone medications such as testosterone are classified in Indian drug regulation as prescription-only medicines because of their potential effects on the endocrine system and associated health risks. When used outside legitimate medical oversight, these drugs can cause serious side effects, including hormonal imbalance, liver stress, cardiovascular problems, psychiatric symptoms, and reproductive health issues, especially in young people and non-patients.
Indian pharmaceutical regulation requires that Schedule H and Schedule H1 drugs, which include many steroid and hormone preparations, cannot be sold without a prescription from a registered medical practitioner and must be recorded in statutory registers maintained by retail pharmacies. Selling such medications without prescription or recordkeeping is a violation of drug laws, including the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and associated rules.
The seizure in Manjalpur forms part of ongoing police and drug control agency efforts to curb illegal drug distribution in and around Vadodara. In other recent actions, police and special units like the Special Operations Group (SOG) have seized mephedrone (MD) narcotics and arrested individuals linked with the illegal drug trade, underscoring broader challenges with illegal substance distribution in the region.
(Rh)