Pharmacy operator arrested in Pokhara after police seize more than 7,000 drug tablets

Pokhara, October 24, 2026 — Police have arrested a pharmacy operator in Pokhara after seizing more than 7,000 tablets of four types of drugs from a medicine shop in Kalikachowk, raising concerns over the monitoring of pharmaceutical sales and distribution.

Amisa Dhungana, 29, operator of Jaldhare Pharmacy in Kalikachowk, Ward 26 of Pokhara Metropolitan City, was arrested with the tablets, according to police.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Birendra Kumar Paswan, information officer at the District Police Office, Kaski, said a team from the Shishuwa Area Police Office inspected the pharmacy on Wednesday following information that drugs were being transported illegally.

During the inspection, police seized four types of drugs from the pharmacy operator: 6,400 tablets of Codeep-P (codeine), 450 tablets of pregabalin, 150 tablets of lorazepam and 160 tablets of chlordiazepoxide.

“We raided the pharmacy based on specific information that drug trading was taking place. A large quantity of drugs was found during the operation,” Paswan said.

He said the seizure highlighted the need for effective regulation and monitoring of the sale, distribution and use of medicines, particularly when large quantities of drug-related medicines are recovered from pharmacies operating for the sale and distribution of medicines.

Police said further investigation into the case was underway under offences related to narcotic drugs.

Authorities have previously uncovered drug trading through pharmacies in Pokhara on several occasions. Police have taken operators of such shops into custody and initiated legal proceedings in those cases.