Patiala: Despite Punjab’s ban on high-potency pregabalin capsules, illegal distribution continues. Patiala police seized 250 capsules of pregabalin (300 mg) and 200 capsules of tramadol during a late-night raid on a salon in Baldev Nagar, Nabha, on Monday. Salon owner Jatinder Singh was arrested at the spot.
A case was registered under Sections 22, 61, and 85 of the NDPS Act, along with Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The raid, led by Nabha AAP MLA Gurdev Singh ‘Dev Mann’ and local police, highlights a shift in illegal pharmaceutical distribution, where high-footfall businesses like salons and tea stalls serve as retail fronts to bypass regulated pharmacy channels.
Sadar Nabha station house officer (SHO) Jaspreet Singh Kahlon said investigators identified the chemist shop supplying the salon and expect to make more arrests shortly.
The MLA said the salon operator sold directly to local buyers and alleged that certain chemists route restricted drugs through commercial vendors to evade scrutiny. “Salons and tea stalls are being leveraged as distribution nodes for large-scale sales. These raids will continue until the network is dismantled,” Mann said.
Pregabalin, prescribed for nerve pain, and tramadol, an opioid analgesic, carry high addiction and health risks when misused. Last year, the Punjab government banned pregabalin capsules exceeding 75 mg. However, persistent seizures of 300 mg variants reveal enforcement challenges, with officials pointing to inter-state smuggling as a major source of supply.
Based in Patiala, Karam Prakash is a Senior Correspondent with Hindustan Times, wherefrom, he covers the Malwa region of Punjab. With extensive reporting experience, he writes on a wide range of beats: health, agriculture, power, education, labour, governance and sports. His reporting focuses on public policy, grassroots issues and stories that impact people’s everyday lives. Before taking charge of the Malwa region, Karam had been part of The Tribune’s National Bureau, wherein he covered several Union ministries and parliament reporting on key policy developments at the national level. He also has significant experience in sports journalism, having covered major international sporting events, including the Olympic and the Commonwealth Games.Read More