Bengaluru: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the fake medicine racket in Karnataka has found that nearly 15,000 vials of two spurious antibiotics — Zavicefta and Emblaveo — were distributed over the past one-and-a-half years.

The two prescription antibiotics are Pfizer products and are used to treat serious bacterial infections, including infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria. The preliminary investigation has revealed that the accused allegedly replaced the genuine medicines in the vials with generic drugs and used labels carrying the Pfizer name to make the products appear authentic.

Investigators suspect that the network had been operating since April 2025 and may have generated profits exceeding Rs 10 crore in recent months.

SIT traces fake medicine distribution network

According to SIT officials, investigators have traced the distribution network through which the suspected spurious antibiotics were circulated.

A senior officer said the police and health department teams are examining every stage of the supply chain, including the purchase of medicines and raw materials, sales, stocks and onward distribution.

“We will correlate the sales, purchases and the stock they received and dispatched. Everything will be cross-checked,” the officer said.

The investigation will also focus on entities that allegedly purchased the drugs from the accused and subsequently supplied them to pharmaceutical companies and hospitals.

Officials said the team would examine every layer of the network to determine how widely the spurious medicines were circulated and identify all those who may have been involved.

Investigators are also awaiting laboratory reports to establish the exact chemical composition of the suspected fake medicines. The findings will help determine what substances were actually present in the vials and whether the drugs posed a health risk to patients.

Labels allegedly procured from Turkey

The SIT suspects that the accused used labels bearing the Pfizer name to make the vials resemble genuine products.

Investigators suspect that the original company labels may have been procured from Turkey, where Pfizer has a manufacturing unit. The source and procurement chain of these labels are also being examined as part of the investigation.

The accused allegedly obtained medicines and other materials at relatively low prices, filled them into vials and then marketed them as expensive branded antibiotics.

The operation allegedly enabled the accused to make substantial profits by selling the suspected spurious products at prices comparable to genuine medicines.

DM Pharma and Krupa Pharma under investigation

The investigation has reportedly identified DM Pharma as a key link in the distribution chain.

The firm is registered in the names of Balasubramani from Chennai and Priyanka, the wife of alleged kingpin R Prashanth Babu. Prashanth, a native of Shivamogga, had previously worked as a medical representative.

According to investigators, the suspected spurious medicines were allegedly filled into vials, labelled as Pfizer products and distributed through DM Pharma.

The medicines were then allegedly supplied to Krupa Pharma, owned by Veeresh Kumar Jain.

Investigators suspect that Krupa Pharma subsequently distributed the medicines to pharmaceutical companies and hospitals along with genuine medicines. Officials believe that mixing the suspected fake products with genuine stocks may have helped the accused avoid immediate detection.

The SIT is now examining purchase records, invoices, stock registers and other documents to establish the exact movement of the medicines.

Farmhouse near Bidadi allegedly used for production

Police suspect that Prashanth rented a farmhouse near Bidadi to manufacture the spurious medicines.

According to the investigation, medicines and materials procured from Hyderabad, Chennai, Uttarakhand and other states were brought into the network.

The materials were allegedly used to prepare and fill the suspected spurious products before they were labelled and introduced into the pharmaceutical supply chain.

The SIT has arrested seven people so far in connection with the case. Investigators are continuing to examine the roles of the arrested accused and other persons or entities that may have been connected to the distribution chain.

Antibiotics sold for up to Rs 6,500 per vial

Zavicefta is a prescription intravenous antibiotic used for serious bacterial infections, including complicated urinary tract infections, complicated abdominal infections and hospital-acquired pneumonia. It is also used in certain infections caused by multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria.

Each vial of Zavicefta contains ceftazidime 2g and avibactam 0.5g. The genuine medicine is priced at around Rs 5,500 to Rs 6,000 per vial.

Emblaveo is another prescription intravenous antibiotic used particularly for serious infections caused by multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria.

A vial of Emblaveo contains aztreonam 1.5g and avibactam 0.5g and costs around Rs 6,000 to Rs 6,500.

Given the high prices of the medicines, investigators suspect that the alleged substitution of cheaper material with the branded products enabled the network to generate substantial illegal profits.

The racket is suspected to have generated more than Rs 10 crore in profits in the past few months, though investigators are still verifying the financial transactions and the overall scale of the operation.

No evidence of fake cancer medicines so far

The SIT has also examined whether the racket extended beyond antibiotics to other critical medicines.

Officials said the investigation has so far found no evidence that cancer medicines were being counterfeited.

However, investigators have not ruled out the possibility of other medicines being involved and will continue examining the supply chain and records seized during the investigation.

The laboratory examination of the suspected medicines is expected to be crucial in determining the precise nature and composition of the products.

Spurious and adulterated drugs are different

The investigation has also brought attention to the distinction between spurious and adulterated medicines under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

A spurious drug is essentially a medicine presented in a way intended to deceive consumers into believing that it is a genuine product. This can include putting a different substance into a vial and using the name, label or packaging of an authentic medicine.

An adulterated drug, on the other hand, refers to a medicine whose contents, quality or purity have been compromised, or which has been manufactured, stored or handled under conditions that can make it unsafe or unsuitable for use.

A medicine can potentially be classified as both spurious and adulterated, depending on the circumstances and the findings of laboratory tests.

Investigation to determine the full extent

With nearly 15,000 suspected spurious vials already identified, the SIT is now focusing on establishing how many reached pharmaceutical companies and hospitals and whether any were ultimately administered to patients.

The investigators are expected to verify the entire movement of the drugs from procurement and manufacturing to sale and final distribution. Officials are also examining the financial trail to establish the scale of the alleged racket.

The laboratory reports, documentary evidence and questioning of the arrested accused are likely to determine the next course of action in the case.

The investigation remains underway, with authorities seeking to identify all individuals and entities involved in the alleged manufacture and distribution of the spurious antibiotics.