Karnataka’s Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) has written to drug regulators in all states after busting an alleged interstate counterfeit medicine network, following a raid that recovered spurious
drugs, injections, labels and manufacturing equipment worth Rs 4.91 crore from an unlicensed facility in Ramanagara district.
The raid, conducted by the Drugs Control Division on August 18, was based on specific intelligence that the facility was allegedly being used to manufacture, relabel and repackage medicines under the names of pharmaceutical companies, including international brands. One person, identified as Prabhadev, has been arrested so far, officials said.
The FDA has now alerted drug regulators nationwide, asking them to check for medicines bearing similar e-labelling, and has instructed private hospitals and medical stores across Karnataka to verify stock against banned batch numbers.
What Was Seized In The Raid?
• 5,640 bottles of Cefiavigent 2.5 (Rs 3.38 crore) — the largest single seizure
• 1,531 bottles of Hizlam injection (Rs 52.24 lakh)
• 470 bottles of Xavitaz injection (Rs 27.49 lakh)
• 264 bottles of Pfizer-labelled Emblaveo (Rs 20.59 lakh)
• 165 Zavicefta injections, 190 Aztreo injections, 50 Trezam injections, and 44 bottles each of Tigynt and Tignvet
• 30 boxes of expired medicines (Rs 35 lakh)
• An injection-filling unit, along with counterfeit labels, stoppers, caps and packaging material
What Has The Health Minister Said?
State Health Minister UT Khader said the network allegedly extends beyond Karnataka, with counterfeit medicines reportedly manufactured in Telangana and Himachal Pradesh before being relabelled with multinational company names and supplied to hospitals and pharmacies.
He said investigators suspect a key operator, identified as Prashant, is based in Dubai, and that a probe is underway to trace his alleged role and financial dealings.
Khader flagged that an injection with a market price of nearly Rs 20,000 was allegedly being sold for Rs 5,000–6,000, and questioned whether hospitals and institutional buyers had ignored the unusually low pricing.
“If anyone knowingly purchased counterfeit drugs at a low price and charged patients the regular market rate, they must be held accountable,” he said, adding that a joint investigation involving the police, Health Department and Drugs Control authorities was needed.
What Happens Next?
The state government is planning a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe and will seek central assistance, given the network’s suspected multi-state spread. Khader said 345 enforcement actions against suspected counterfeit or illegal medicines have already been taken, with further details to follow.
The FDA said it will intensify surprise inspections of pharmacies, hospitals and wholesalers, with drug inspectors verifying batch numbers through the department’s portal. The premises in Ramanagara has been sealed, and legal action has been initiated under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
