The Uttar Pradesh police and the state food safety and drugs department have carried out largest-ever operation against a fake medicine syndicate operating from Agra and Lucknow, confirmed a press note shared by state government media cell on Sunday.
It further stated that a press conference was held by the state government, revealing that fake medicines worth ₹200 crore were supplied from Chennai and Puducherry. In the press note, a senior government official said the syndicate had made Agra and Lucknow hotspots for counterfeit medicines.
The crackdown began on August 22, starting with a raid on Hema Medical, owned by one Himanshu Agarwal, where drugs worth ₹3.5 crore were seized on suspicion of being fake. Drugs worth ₹60 crore were stored in the firm and Himanshu was arrested for allegedly offering a bribe of ₹1 crore.
Further raids were conducted on Radhe Medical Agency and Bansal Medical, where drugs worth ₹10 crore were seized. The operation involved nine days of raids in Agra by the drug department and UP Special Task Force (STF), resulting in the seizure of drugs worth crores and the collection of 24 different drug samples. Four traders, including Himanshu Aggarwal, Sanjay Bansal, Mukesh Bansal, and Sohit Bansal, were arrested.
The investigation revealed that the syndicate used fake bills and QR codes to sell counterfeit medicines. The location of a party from Lucknow was traced to Goa and the investigation uncovered several dummy firms in Maharashtra and Agra. The syndicate was found to be manufacturing fake medicines of well-known companies, including those for colds, coughs, diabetes, and pain relief. The drug department continues to investigate the medicine market.
Another Food Safety and Drugs Authority (FSDA) official said codeine syrup has become the first choice among young people due to its low cost and the fact that it doesn’t raise suspicions about alcohol consumption. He said youths are increasingly turning to cough syrups as a means to get intoxicated. These syrups are being smuggled from Delhi to various parts of the country, including Bihar, West Bengal, Northeast, Nepal and Bangladesh.
The codeine syrup is being sold at exorbitant prices, with a bottle costing ₹80-100 being sold for ₹500-600. The syrup contains narcotic drugs and fake firms and vendors are being created in the name of genuine companies. These firms and vendors are involved in bulk purchases and supplying the syrup in smaller packs.
The investigation agencies have found evidence of smuggling to Nepal and Bangladesh and 17 people have been sent to jail so far. These individuals were involved in preparing fake syrups and adding narcotic tablets to them. The FSDA and STF have claimed that the network is organised and strong but they are taking continuous action to crack down on the smugglers.
