Counterfeit Blood Pressure Drug Racket Exposed In Ahmedabad, Three Arrested
Ahmedabad Crime Branch Busts Fake Medicine Racket.
The Ahmedabad Crime Branch, in coordination with the Food and Drugs Control Administration (FDCA), has busted an interstate racket involved in the manufacture and distribution of counterfeit blood pressure medicines. Three key operatives allegedly linked to a distribution network spanning Ahmedabad and Lucknow have been arrested following a targeted crackdown, officials said.
The investigation began after a written complaint was submitted on August 19 by J.B. Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Limited, based in GIDC Ankleshwar. The pharmaceutical company alerted authorities that counterfeit versions of its hypertension medicine, Nicardia Retard 10, were being circulated illegally in the market. The complaint prompted the Crime Branch and FDCA to initiate an investigation into the source and distribution network behind the fake medicines.
According to the complaint, the counterfeit product was being sold under the name Nicardia Retard 10, which contains nifedipine and is prescribed for the management of high blood pressure. The suspected fake tablets were identified as Nifedipine Sustained Release Tablets IP 10mg and carried details including Batch No. ACG25007, a manufacturing date of June 2025 and an expiry date of May 2028. Authorities began examining the suspected counterfeit stock and tracing the channels through which it had entered the market.
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The investigation subsequently uncovered links extending beyond Ahmedabad, with the distribution network reportedly reaching Lucknow. Crime Branch personnel, working with FDCA officials, carried out a targeted operation to identify those allegedly involved in the procurement, movement and distribution of the counterfeit medicine. Three people described as key operatives in the interstate network were arrested as part of the crackdown.
The case has raised concerns because counterfeit medicines can pose serious risks to consumers, particularly when they involve drugs used to control chronic conditions such as hypertension. Patients rely on prescribed medicines for consistent treatment, and fake products may contain incorrect ingredients, inadequate quantities of the active pharmaceutical ingredient or other substances that can affect their safety and effectiveness. Authorities therefore treat the circulation of counterfeit pharmaceutical products as a serious public health concern.
The action followed the pharmaceutical company's alert to authorities after it detected fraudulent copies of its branded medicine in circulation. J.B. Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Limited, headquartered at GIDC Ankleshwar, provided details of the suspected counterfeit product to investigators, including its brand name, composition, batch number and manufacturing and expiry dates. These details are expected to form an important part of the investigation as authorities work to establish how the counterfeit products were manufactured and introduced into the supply chain.
The Ahmedabad Crime Branch and FDCA are continuing their investigation into the interstate network to determine the full extent of the racket and identify other individuals who may have been involved. Investigators are also expected to examine the distribution chain connecting Ahmedabad and Lucknow and determine where the counterfeit medicines were manufactured, sourced and supplied. The arrests mark a significant step in the crackdown, while further investigation will establish the wider scope of the alleged counterfeit medicine operation.
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