Karnataka: Counterfeit Medicines Racket Exposed In Bengaluru, One Held
Expired and low-cost medicines were repackaged into new containers and fitted with forged labels: Sources
BENGALURU: In a coordinated operation by sleuths of Special Investigation Team (SIT) and Drugs Control Department, Bengaluru on Saturday unearthed a counterfeit drug racket in Bengaluru and seized huge stock of suspected counterfeit medicines, cancer drugs and ICU injections during a raid on Krupa Healthcare premises near Minerva Circle. The owner of Krupa Healthcare Veeresh Kumar Jain was arrested.
Sources said expired and low-cost medicines were repackaged into new containers and fitted with forged labels to imitate reputed medicines of pharmaceutical companies. The repackaged medicines were then supplied to medical establishments at discount rates upto 50 percent of the price mentioned on the medicines. Such medicines were distributed to about 90 hospitals and clinics in Bengaluru city.
In the distribution of repackaged medicines, sources said, several medical representatives had a role. Meanwhile, the raiding team of officials sent samples of seized drugs from Krupa Healthcare for lab analysis to determine chemical contents and quality of medicines. The arrested Veeresh Kumar Jain has been into the business for about 5 years and had joined hands with Prashant, the alleged kingpin in the distribution of counterfeit medicines.
Prashant is on the run after Minister of Health and Family Welfare U.T. Khader constituted SIT headed by Vamsikrishna after a raid on a farmhouse in Bengaluru South district in August detected nearly Rs 5 crore worth of counterfeit medicines. SIT is probing the case expanding their investigation in the States of Karnataka, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.
