Pharmacy owner, delivery boy caught with 6,568 Tramadol tablets in Madhapur

A raid on a neighbourhood pharmacy in Madhapur has uncovered the alleged illegal sale of Tramadol tablets, with police arresting the pharmacy owner and a delivery boy while launching a hunt for the suspected supplier.

Acting on a tip-off, Madhapur police raided Prime Pharmacy in Ayyappa Society on Wednesday and seized 821 strips containing 6,568 Tramadol Hydrochloride 50 mg tablets, a psychotropic substance regulated under law. The seized stock weighed about 328.4 grams.

The arrested were identified as Thorri Venkatesham, 32, owner and pharmacist of Prime Pharmacy, and Barlakadi Srikanth, 32, who worked as a delivery boy. Police said the duo allegedly sold the tablets without valid prescriptions or maintaining mandatory records.

The investigation revealed that Venkatesham allegedly sourced the tablets illegally from Rathod Prakash, a resident of Narayankhed, who is absconding, and sold them both over the counter and through home deliveries made by Srikanth. Police said payments were accepted in cash.

Investigators suspect the accused supplied the psychotropic tablets to nearly 100 to 150 customers over the past several months. Efforts are under way to identify the buyers, trace the supply network, gather digital and financial evidence and apprehend the absconding supplier.

Police registered a case and produced the arrested accused before a court. Further investigation is under way.