8month Probe 16 Firs 4 5cr Seized Up Fsda Cracks Fake Drug Network

The Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) has seized counterfeit and illegally stored medicines worth around ₹4.5 crore in the past eight months while cracking an alleged interstate racket. The latest action on July 19 uncovered an alleged illegal warehouse where medicines worth ₹21 lakh were seized, officials said on Wednesday. The probe has led to 16 FIRs against 73 operators linked to 33 firms and traced the network across Lucknow, Agra, Varanasi and Gonda, with links to Rajasthan and Uttarakhand.

The investigation, which began at the start of the year, has led to 16 FIRs against 73 operators linked to 33 firms and cancellation of licences of 76 wholesale drug establishments.

Investigators found an alleged parallel documentary trail involving fake invoices, cross-billing and manipulated computer records, besides illegal warehouses and manufacturing and packaging facilities used to give the trade an appearance of legitimacy.

In Lucknow, raids in Aminabad, Qaiserbagh and Bakshi Ka Talab revealed discrepancies between medicine purchase and sale records and actual stock movement. In one case involving MK Pharma, officials detected suspicious billing of around ₹8.87 crore and an alleged illegal medicine trade worth nearly ₹39.20 lakh. Counterfeit medicines worth around ₹41.58 lakh were seized and seven FIRs registered against 32 operators linked to 15 firms.

On July 19, officials raided an alleged illegal warehouse linked to Ranjit Singh Julka and seized medicines worth around ₹21 lakh, including suspected counterfeit versions of Telma, Pantop 40, Clavam, Decadurabolin and Buprenorphine injections. An alleged key accused from Alwar in Rajasthan was also booked.

Agra provides Rajasthan-Uttarakhand links

Agra emerged as another major node, with medicines worth around ₹3.7 crore seized and nine FIRs registered against 15 firms and more than 35 operators. A probe into counterfeit Oxalgin tablets led officials to Aligarh and a pharmaceutical unit in Roorkee, Uttarakhand, where packaging material allegedly linked to counterfeit medicine production was recovered.

The probe later reached Selaqui in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. A joint UP FSDA and Ghaziabad Crime Branch team raided an alleged illegal manufacturing facility and found blister-packing machinery, pharmaceutical foils and counterfeit medicines bearing names of major drug companies. Material worth around ₹2 crore was seized and two people arrested, officials said.

In Gonda, three alleged illegal warehouses were raided and medicines worth around ₹1.13 crore seized, while an unlicensed storage facility in Varanasi yielded stocks worth around ₹25 lakh.

Commissioner FSDA Roshan Jacob said, “In food, one can avoid the item, but when a medicine is prescribed, a patient’s survival can depend on it.” She said the drive would continue until the alleged counterfeit medicine menace was rooted out from the state.

Assistant commissioner FSDA (Drugs) Brijesh Singh said the probe was helping officials trace the alleged manufacturing, packaging, financing, transportation, invoicing and distribution chain.

Officials said the investigation was continuing to identify other manufacturers, suppliers, financiers and distributors.

Anupam Srivastava is a Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times, Lucknow. Has produced exclusive stories in medical, civil aviation, civic, political and other issues for over 20 years.