Bengaluru, September 21 (Daily Kiran) : The Karnataka government has launched a significant operation against a fake drug racket uncovered in Bidadi, Bengaluru. Following a raid by the state’s health department, the licenses of Pfizer C-F Depot and eight other pharmacies have been suspended.
On Monday, health officials urged citizens to purchase medications only from licensed pharmacies that provide valid tax invoices. They also advised reporting any suspicious packaging or non-functioning QR codes to drug enforcement authorities.
This crackdown stems from an operation conducted on August 18 at a farmhouse in Kurubarakeranahalli, located in the southern district of Bengaluru. The Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) discovered a scheme involving the repackaging and relabeling of drugs without appropriate licenses.
During the raid, authorities seized counterfeit medications valued at approximately ₹5.05 crore, along with machinery and printing materials. The estimated inventory value of the confiscated items was around ₹4.91 crore. Preliminary investigations revealed that cheaper drugs purchased from neighboring states were allegedly repackaged into new vials and labeled to resemble expensive life-saving medications from multinational companies, including Pfizer products.
Investigators also found questionable QR codes on the fake labels that failed to function when scanned. Officials suspect that the seized products lack active medicinal ingredients, contain incorrect materials, or may even be harmful, posing a serious risk to public health.
A criminal case has been filed under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940. The department is implementing provisions related to counterfeit drugs, while further investigations are underway to trace the supply chain across six states.
As part of the investigation into retailers and wholesalers allegedly involved in the distribution and sale of fake drugs, 16 pharmacy licenses have been revoked, and eight have been suspended. The license for Pfizer C-F Depot, located in Kemplinganahalli of the Bengaluru rural district, has also been suspended.
To prevent further sales or distribution of the seized drugs, the department has blocked the batch numbers and entries on the Karnataka FDA portal. Samples of the confiscated products have been sent to laboratories for testing to determine their chemical composition, sterility, and efficacy.
The confiscated drugs, machinery, and printing materials will be presented before the JMFC court in South Bengaluru. Investigations are ongoing to trace the supply chain and identify other individuals allegedly involved in the racket.
The health department has advised consumers to remain vigilant when purchasing medications and to promptly report any suspicious changes in packaging, labeling, or QR codes to drug enforcement officials.
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