Fake Medicines Meant for ICUs? Major Counterfeit Drug Racket Busted Near Bengaluru
Bengaluru: In a shocking discovery that has raised serious concerns about patient safety, authorities have uncovered a large-scale counterfeit medicine racket operating from Bidadi in Karnataka’s Ramanagara district, near Bengaluru.
During a raid conducted by the enforcement wing of the Food Safety and Drug Administration, officials seized fake and spurious medicines worth more than ₹5 crore from an allegedly unlicensed manufacturing facility. Investigators say the unit was being used to repackage counterfeit drugs and label them as products of well-known multinational pharmaceutical companies.
According to officials, the operation involved sourcing medicines from illegal manufacturing units across different parts of the country. These drugs were then repackaged and sold under the names of reputed brands, potentially deceiving hospitals, distributors and patients.
Karnataka Health Minister UT Khader described the case as the work of a “drug mafia” and revealed that the counterfeit medicines were reportedly being supplied to hospitals at prices nearly 50 per cent lower than the market rate. What has alarmed authorities the most is the possibility that some of these medicines were intended for use in Intensive Care Units (ICUs), where critically ill patients depend on life-saving treatments.
“The thought that fake medicines could reach patients fighting for their lives is deeply disturbing,” officials involved in the investigation said, highlighting the potential risk to public health.
The main accused has been handed over to the police, while the Ramanagara Superintendent of Police is leading the investigation. Authorities are now tracing the entire supply chain to identify those involved in manufacturing, distributing and purchasing the counterfeit drugs.
Investigators believe the network may extend beyond Karnataka, raising concerns about a larger nationwide counterfeit medicine syndicate.
The Health Department has also announced a reward for the whistleblower whose tip-off helped expose the racket, calling the information crucial in preventing potentially dangerous medicines from reaching patients.
News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
