Six accused, including the kingpin of a counterfeit drug syndicate operating across northern India, were arrested by the Delhi Police on Wednesday.
The police said the gang was into manufacturing and distribution of fake life-saving medicines of top pharmaceutical brands such as Johnson & Johnson, GSK, and Alkem.
Harsh Indora, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime), said, “We received intel, after which we laid a trap at a CNG petrol pump in Civil Lines on July 30. A car carrying counterfeit medicines was intercepted in Moradabad.”
Mohommad Alam and Mohommad Saleem, the two passengers were arrested on the spot.
When inquired about it, authorities from GSK and Johnson & Johnson confirmed that the drugs were fake.
Thereafter, raids were conducted in multiple locations on the basis of the disclosures made by the duo and digital trails that led the police to the illegal manufacturing units in Jind, Haryana, and Baddi, Himachal Pradesh.
From the tipped-off location, a huge quantity of counterfeit drugs—Ultracet (9015 tablets), Augmentin 625 (6100 tablets), Pan-40 (1200 tablets), Betnovate-N cream (1166 tubes), Amoxycillin (25650), PCM (5900), PAN DSR (2700), Injection Kanacort (74 boxes (steroid)), Proyco SPAS (12000 tablets), and others—was seized.
‘Laxmi Maa Pharma’ was found to be manufacturing fake medicines using advanced equipment and packaging materials designed to resemble those of established brands, DCP Indora said.
The kingpin of the syndicate, Rajesh Mishra, from Gorakhpur, used his pharmaceutical experience to build a pan-India operation.
It was further revealed that he worked with accomplices across multiple states, using rail and couriers to distribute medicines to UP, Delhi, and other areas, while using hawala and relatives’ accounts for undetected financial transactions.
The arrested accused included Alam, Saleem, Zuvaier, Prem Shankar, Parmanand (factory owner), and Rajesh Mishra.
The police recovered over 1 lakh counterfeit tablets, raw materials, machines, blank boxes, and foil rolls from their possession.
Addressing a press conference, Indora said, “All the accused involved in this case were arrested, and the inquiry is ongoing to trace the full network, including the source of raw materials, financial transactions, and other co-accused.”