Bengaluru: A major counterfeit medicine racket has been uncovered in Karnataka after the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) raided an alleged illegal manufacturing unit in Bidadi, Ramanagara district, near Bengaluru.
Officials seized fake and spurious medicines worth more than Rs 5 crore from the facility, which was allegedly operating without a valid licence.
Counterfeit drugs allegedly repackaged
According to the report, the unit was allegedly being used to repack medicines sourced from illegal manufacturing facilities in different parts of the country.
The drugs were reportedly given fake labels carrying the names of reputed multinational pharmaceutical companies before being supplied to the market. The operation has raised serious concerns over the risks posed to consumers who may unknowingly purchase counterfeit medicines.
Police investigate wider supply network
Following the raid, the accused was handed over to the police. Ramanagara Superintendent of Police is leading the investigation into the case.
Authorities are examining the wider supply chain to establish where the medicines originated, identify those involved in repackaging and determine who may have purchased or distributed the counterfeit products.
Officials are also investigating whether the operation was confined to Karnataka or had connections with a larger nationwide counterfeit medicine network.
Informant to be rewarded
The Health Department has announced that the person who provided information about the alleged illegal operation and assisted authorities in conducting the raid would be rewarded.
The investigation is continuing as authorities work to trace the wider network behind the counterfeit medicines.
The seizure highlights the importance of strict monitoring of pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution channels to prevent spurious medicines from reaching consumers.