In a major breakthrough, Delhi Police have dismantled a sophisticated pan-India syndicate manufacturing and distributing counterfeit life-saving drugs, arresting six individuals, including the mastermind, Rajesh Mishra. The operation, which spanned Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh, used social media and encrypted platforms to connect with suppliers and customers, posing a severe threat to public health.
The accused—Rajesh Mishra (52), Parmanand (50), brothers Md Alam (35) and Md Saleem (42), Md Zuvaier (29), and Prem Shankar Prajapati (25)—were involved in producing and selling fake medicines under the brand names of reputable companies like Johnson & Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), and Alkem. The syndicate’s counterfeit drugs included critical medications such as Ultracet, Augmentin 625, Pan-40, and Betnovate-N skin cream, which are used to treat infections, pain, and other serious conditions.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Harsh Indora revealed that the syndicate operated with meticulous planning. “They used social media to contact suppliers and customers, communicated via encrypted apps, and routed payments through hawala and fictitious accounts to evade detection,” he said.
The operation involved procuring counterfeit packaging, printing fake labels, and mass-producing tablets in clandestine factories. Distribution occurred through unlicensed medical practitioners and select medical stores, with payments funneled through mobile wallets, barcodes, or relatives’ accounts to obscure financial trails.
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The investigation began with a tip-off about a consignment of fake medicines arriving in Delhi. On July 30, police intercepted a car at a fuel station in Civil Lines, apprehending Md Alam and Md Saleem from Moradabad with a stash of counterfeit drugs. Experts from Johnson & Johnson and GSK confirmed the medicines were fake, prompting further raids that unraveled the syndicate’s vast network.
Rajesh Mishra, a Gorakhpur resident with prior pharmaceutical experience, orchestrated the operation. He sourced empty packaging mimicking reputable brands with help from Neha Sharma and Pankaj Sharma, while procuring blister-packing materials from Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, through Govind Mishra.
The primary manufacturing unit, located in Jind, Haryana, was run by Parmanand, who owned Laxmi Maa Pharma. Despite holding a license for drug storage, Parmanand had no authorization to manufacture medicines. The fake tablets, particularly Ultracet, were produced in Jind, transported by rail to Gorakhpur, and distributed by handlers like Prem Shankar Prajapati to local dealers, including Alam and Saleem.
Police raids targeted two clandestine factories in Jind and Baddi, seizing a massive haul of counterfeit drugs: 9,015 Ultracet tablets, 6,100 Augmentin 625 tablets, 1,200 Pan-40 tablets, 1,166 Betnovate-N cream tubes, 25,650 Amoxicillin tablets, 5,900 PCM tablets, 2,700 PAN DSR tablets, 74 boxes of Kanacort steroid injections, 12,000 Proyco SPAS tablets, and additional stocks of Clavam 625, Zerodol P, Pantop DSR, and Chymotri Plus. Authorities also recovered a heavy-duty packing machine, 150 kg of loose tablets, 20 kg of capsules, and hundreds of blank packaging boxes designed to mimic authentic brands.
The syndicate’s logistics were equally sophisticated, relying on regular couriers and personal vehicles to avoid suspicion. Digital evidence from seized mobile phones revealed contacts saved under aliases like “Komal ji Karnal” and “Pappy Bhaiya GKP,” indicating deliberate efforts to conceal identities.
The counterfeit drugs posed a grave public health risk, as they mimicked medications critical for treating infections, pain, and other ailments but lacked the active ingredients needed for effective treatment. “These fake medicines could have caused serious harm to unsuspecting patients,” Indora noted.
The investigation continues to trace the syndicate’s raw material sources, additional members, and financial networks. Police are working to uncover the full extent of the operation, which exploited trusted medical storefronts and rural practitioners to distribute its dangerous products. This bust highlights the growing challenge of counterfeit pharmaceuticals in India and underscores the need for stricter regulations and vigilance to protect public health.
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