Rs 5 Cr spurious drug racket unearthed in K’taka; Health Minister calls for interstate probe

Bengaluru, Aug 19 (IANS) A racket involving spurious drugs allegedly carrying labels of multinational pharmaceutical companies has been unearthed in Ramanagara district, with drugs worth over Rs 5 crore seized, Health Minister U.T. Khader said on Wednesday. Seeking an interstate probe, Khader said initial investigation has revealed possible links to fake drug manufacturing units operating in other parts of the country.

The racket came to light after beat police personnel alerted the authorities on Tuesday evening. Acting swiftly on the information, officials from the Drug Control Department and the Commissionerate of Food Safety and Drug Administration conducted a raid at a farmhouse in Bidadi, where the spurious drugs were allegedly stored and repacked before being supplied to pharmaceutical outlets and hospitals.

One person, identified as Prabhudev, has been arrested in connection with the case. Ramanagara Superintendent of Police is currently conducting the investigation.

Khader said preliminary investigation has revealed possible links to fake drug manufacturing units operating in Telangana, Himachal Pradesh and other parts of the country.

The accused allegedly procure drugs at very low prices and relabel them using the names and labels of multinational pharmaceutical companies before supplying them to hospitals and medical outlets.

“Even tablets used in ICUs are being faked and labelled with multinational companies’ names. If an injection costs Rs 20,000, they supply it for Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 to hospitals,” Khader said, describing the racket as a serious issue that extends beyond Karnataka.

The minister said the premises where the drugs were stored was operating without a valid licence. Officials are also investigating whether labels and stickers used on the spurious medicines were manufactured locally or procured from other sources.

“We suspect that the accused may have procured labels and stickers from hospitals and used them for fake drugs,” Khader said.

According to the minister, the suspected racket has several layers, including the procurement of raw materials and medicines, logistics, repackaging, distribution and supply to hospitals and medical shops. Authorities are now trying to identify the middlemen involved and the hospitals and outlets that may have received the spurious medicines.

Khader said the main accused, identified as Prashanth, is believed to be based in Dubai, while Tejas has been identified as the person operating on the ground. Prabhudev has been arrested and is being questioned to establish the entire supply chain.

The minister said the case cannot be treated as a Karnataka-only issue as the suspected network involves multiple states and an accused allegedly based outside the country. He called for a coordinated investigation involving the state and Central governments.

“I have already spoken to the Union Health Minister and the Home Ministry. The Health and Home departments should have a joint team to investigate the matter,” Khader said.

He said he would also discuss the matter with Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge and seek the formation of a Special Investigation Team to probe the interstate and international links.

Khader said authorities need to establish where the spurious drugs originated, who provided logistical support, how the medicines reached Karnataka, who acted as intermediaries and which hospitals and medical shops purchased them.

He also warned that establishments procuring medicines at unusually low prices could come under scrutiny as part of the investigation.

The minister said the Drug Control Department has a database containing details of more than 12 lakh medicines and that authorities routinely identify and ban spurious drugs when they enter the market.

Khader praised the officials who conducted the raid and said the government would consider rewarding personnel involved in uncovering the racket.

“This is not limited to Karnataka. Such factories may be operating across the country. We need a separate and coordinated investigation considering the logistics, supply chain and consumers,” he said.

Officials have so far seized spurious medicines worth more than Rs 5 crore. Further details are expected as the Ramanagara police investigation progresses.

–IANS

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