LUCKNOW, Oct. 16 -- The Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) has cancelled 14 drug licences and suspended 29 others in a major crackdown on alleged fake billing and suspected counterfeit medicine networks operating in Lucknow's Aminabad drug market. A decision on five additional establishments is pending.

The action follows an investigation into suspected irregularities in the pharmaceutical supply chain, including transactions in which purchases and sales were allegedly recorded on paper without the corresponding physical movement of medicines. Such practices, if established, can undermine drug traceability and make it difficult to verify the source and distribution of medicines.

The enforcement drive covered 44 est...