4 min readPuneNov 7, 2022 07:11 AM IST
First published on: Nov 6, 2022 at 09:30 PM IST
The Pune City Police’s Crime Branch has busted a huge racket of illicit bottling and sale of Oxytocin in the city in which the hormone was being smuggled and peddled to be illegally used for increasing milk production of cattle.
The police have seized nearly 290 boxes containing a large number of Oxytocin vials and ampoules, totalling over Rs 53 lakh in illicit market and have arrested five persons. A coordinated probe has now been launched into the supply and distribution chain of the racket.
Oxytocin is a key hormone for humans because of its multiple crucial functions and the role it plays in human bonding, reproduction, childbirth and post childbirth activities. In 2018, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of the Union Government restricted the manufacture of Oxytocin formulations for domestic use, to the public sector only. It also banned the import of Oxytocin and its formulations. The ban was enforced primarily because of the reports of its heavy misuse in dairy cattle to increase the milk yield and its suspected adverse effects on health of the cattle and the humans who consume that milk. The restriction placed by the government to allow Oxytocin production only by public sector entities was legally challenged at the time, citing lack of scientific data and criticality of the hormone for its medical use in humans.
The action by the Crime Branch, taken in coordination with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), was against the racket which was involved in unlicensed, illegal, unsafe bottling with possible adulteration and sale of Oxytocin and storage of its formulations. The personnel from the Anti-Narcotics Cell of the Crime Branch on Saturday received a tip-off that some persons were selling Oxytocin vials and ampoules to cattle owners in Pune and surrounding areas. The racket was operating from a shed in Kalwad Vasti in Lohegaon.
A raid was conducted from Saturday afternoon by the Crime Branch and officials from the FDA and the details of the actions were shared with the media on Sunday. The five persons arrested at the time have been identified as Sameer Qureshi (29), a current resident of Kalwad Vasti and who hails from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, Bishwajeet Sudhanshu Jana (44) and Mangal Kananlal Giri (29) both from East Medinipur District in West Bengal; Satyajeet Maheshchandra Mondal (22) and Shrimanta Manoranjan Haldar (32), both from South 24 Parganas District of West Bengal.
“We have seized 289 boxes of Oxytocin of which 63 boxes contained 100 large vials each of Oxytocin, 33 boxes which contained 200 vials each of Oxytocin of a different size and remaining 190 boxes contained small vials and ampoules of Oxytocin. We have also seized other formulations of Oxytocin. The estimated value of the bottled Oxytocin and other substances is nearly Rs 53 lakh in the illicit market. We are now probing the supply and distribution of these racketeers,” said an officer from the Crime Branch who is part of the probe.
A statement issued by the police in this regard read, “Drug Inspector Suhas Sawant has stated in his FIR that while Oxytocin is a key hormone for humans and has crucial usage during childbirth, its use in dairy animals has serious adverse effects on humans. Sawant has stated that consumption of milk from the animals which have been administered Oxytocin can possibly lead to hearing and visual impairment, digestive issues, serious complications in pregnant women and newborns, respiratory issues and skin ailments. Based on the complaint filed by Sawant, a case has been registered.”
The police have invoked Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act along with Indian Penal Code sections pertaining to 328 (Causing hurt by means of poison), 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 175 (Omission to produce document to public servant), 272 (Adulteration of food or drink intended for sale) and 274 (Adulteration of drugs) among others.
The police have seized nearly 290 boxes containing a large number of Oxytocin vials and ampoules, totalling over Rs 53 lakh in illicit market and have arrested five persons. (Representational/ File) 
Share
