Dhangadhi July 17 : The District Police Office, Kanchanpur has registered cases against 15 persons for unlawfully operating pharmacies in a month. Superintendent of Police (SP) Kamal Thapa informed that the case related to narcotic drug abuse was registered against those illegally running pharmacies and providing treatment.

“We have initiated a campaign to shut the pharmacies which have been illegally operating over the years”, he said, adding, “It is found that life-threatening drugs are being sold and distributed in the area without license”. SP Thapa said the administration was working to book those unlawfully running pharmacies by registering narcotic drug abuse related law of the country.

According to the data of the District Police Office Kanchanpur, as many as 15 pharmacy operators were arrested and case filed against them in a month. In its raid carried out in Bhimdutta municipality area on Friday, Nepal Police took control four pharmacy owners. Among the arrested were Bimala Upadhyay of Bhimdutta municipality-7, Rajendra Bahadur Chand of Bhimdutta-16, Majhgaun, Suresh Pandey of Bhimdutta-10, Sukasal and Mohan Bahadur Rokaya of same place. Two pharmacy operators, however, have absconded, police said.

Those absconding are Birendra Raj Pant of Bhimdutta-16, Basantapur and Ram Bahadur Bista of Bhimdutta-13, Sajha Chuaraha. Police seized 94 types of drugs from the pharmacy of Pant and 125 kinds of drugs from the pharmacy of Bista.

Earlier, police had arrested 11 pharmacy operators from Dodhara Chandani and Bhimdutta municipality areas. In course of the raid, the pharmacy operators were found selling drugs without license, running medical without name and board and keeping life-threatening medicines in ready-for-sale condition in the pharmacy, police informed.