Maharashtra FDA Intensifies Crackdown Under Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe; 104 Seizures In 3 Months, ₹11.41 Crore Stock Seized

Mumbai, September 15, 2026: Maharashtra's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has carried out 104 search-and-seizure operations in just three months, seizing illegal medicines and cosmetics worth Rs 11.41 crore.

This compares with 419 such operations over the previous five financial years, during which the department seized stock worth Rs 30.84 crore, registered 175 FIRs and arrested 241 people.

The latest action, after FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe took charge, has also exposed potentially hazardous products, including Pakistan-made skin-whitening creams containing excessive mercury and, in some cases, lead.

Several imported face creams were found without mandatory documents and import papers, while the FDA also flagged spurious and substandard medicines.

The 104 operations conducted in just three months account for nearly one-fourth of the total 419 operations recorded over the previous five financial years. While the periods are not directly comparable, the figures indicate a sharp escalation in enforcement under Mundhe.

Hazardous Products Flagged

The action targeted several skin-whitening products, including Goree Beauty Cream, Golden Star Beauty Cream and Face Fresh Gold Beauty Cream and Serum, which were flagged following testing by the FDA. The presence of excessive mercury and lead in such products can pose health risks to consumers.

Among medicines, the FDA declared Diabeties-ALL spurious, while Edengrel 75 mg (clopidogrel) failed the dissolution test. Clopidogrel is used to prevent blood clots and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Violations Found During Inspections

The violations detected during inspections ranged from the manufacture and sale of unauthorised or substandard medicines to deficiencies in quality-control procedures and production records. In some establishments, medicines were being sold without the supervision of registered pharmacists and without proper bills.

The FDA also found scheduled medicines being sold without prescriptions, improper handling of expired medicines and poor storage of temperature-sensitive medicines such as insulin and vaccines. Improper storage can compromise the effectiveness of such products.

The three-month action resulted in 20 FIRs and 21 arrests, according to the FDA data.

Also Watch:

June-August 2026 Under Mundhe

Five-Year FDA Search-And-Seizure Data

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