Bengaluru:
A ₹5 crore spurious drugs racket involving the alleged repackaging and relabelling of medicines with forged multinational company labels has been busted near Bengaluru, Karnataka Health Minister UT Khader said.
According to the preliminary investigation, the Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration’s Drug Enforcement Wing conducted a raid on August 18 following a tip-off and uncovered an unlicensed pharmaceutical repacking and relabelling operation at a farmhouse in Kurubarakeranahalli, Bidadi, in Bengaluru South district.
Investigators allege that lower-cost medicines procured from other states were being repacked into new vials and relabelled to resemble expensive multinational brands. Some of the seized material allegedly carried forged labels of pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer.
The investigation has also indicated that the alleged key operator behind the racket is currently in Dubai. Authorities suspect that the operation could be part of a wider network and are considering seeking the Centre’s intervention for a nationwide investigation and crackdown.
The seized stock has been estimated at ₹4,91,49,575. The inventory includes 5,640 vials of Cefivagent 2.5 Injection, valued at around ₹3.38 crore; 1,531 vials of Hizlam Injectables valued at ₹52.24 lakh; 30 boxes of expired medicines valued at ₹35 lakh; 470 vials of XavItaz Injection worth ₹27.49 lakh; 264 vials of EmblaVeo carrying a Pfizer label and valued at ₹20.59 lakh; and other injectable medicines.
Officials also seized packaging components, including stoppers and caps, along with an injection-filling machine, forged labels and stamps, according to the seizure documents.
The preliminary findings point to multiple violations of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, including the alleged manufacture, storage and distribution of drugs without the required licence. Authorities have also flagged concerns over spurious and mislabelled medicines and the presence of expired drugs.
Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, spurious drugs are dealt with under Section 17B, while Section 27 provides for stringent punishment for offences involving the manufacture, sale, stocking or distribution of such drugs.
Authorities have initiated several follow-up measures. Batch numbers and entries relating to the seized drugs are being blocked on the Karnataka FDA portal to prevent further distribution or sale. Samples have been sent for laboratory testing to establish their chemical composition, sterility and potency.
A police complaint has also been lodged with the Tavarekere Police Station. Law enforcement and regulatory officials are working to complete the investigation and identify all those involved in the alleged racket.
Khader has called for a wider crackdown on the suspected network, particularly in view of the alleged involvement of an operator based outside India. The state government is likely to seek the Centre’s assistance to investigate whether the Bengaluru operation is connected to a larger interstate or international supply chain.
The authorities are now awaiting laboratory results and further investigation before determining the full scope of the alleged counterfeit drug operation.
