Bengaluru, September 11 (Daily Kiran) : The Karnataka Special Investigation Team (SIT) has intensified its crackdown on a fake drug racket, conducting simultaneous raids at ten locations across six states. This operation, which took place on September 11, targeted areas in Karnataka, Haryana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, and Telangana, following the discovery of the racket in Dodderi, a suburb of Bengaluru.
The coordinated effort involved around 80 to 100 officials from both the SIT and the Drug Control Department. They focused on offices, properties, and other sites linked to companies allegedly involved in the production, repackaging, and distribution of counterfeit medications.
In Bengaluru, a search was conducted at a pharmaceutical company located near Minerva Circle in Lalbagh. Investigators are examining drugs sourced from various locations that were later repackaged and distributed through the network. Reports suggest that the investigation has uncovered an international connection, with counterfeit labels being sourced from abroad.
This operation stems from a larger investigation that began approximately two weeks ago. Authorities are scrutinizing the entire supply chain, including the origins of the drugs, manufacturing and repackaging facilities, and the distribution network.
The case first emerged in August 2026 when the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) and local police uncovered a significant fake drug operation near Bidadi in Ramnagar district. Officials seized counterfeit medications valued at around ₹5 crore and identified an unlicensed repackaging facility operating from a farmhouse in Kurubara Karenhalli.
According to the investigation, low-cost, substandard, or expired medications were being sourced from different states. These drugs were repackaged into new bottles with counterfeit labels bearing the names of well-known multinational pharmaceutical brands, then sold at inflated prices.
The situation escalated further when it was revealed that some counterfeit medications were intended for use in hospital intensive care units (ICUs). These drugs were supplied to private hospitals and pharmacies at prices approximately 50% lower than market rates.
Karnataka’s Health Minister U.T. Khader described the case as a significant operation by drug mafias and ordered an investigation into the suspected interstate network. The formation of the SIT aims to identify the extensive network involved in sourcing, repackaging, labeling, and distributing these counterfeit drugs. The recent raids across six states are expected to assist investigators in mapping the network and identifying other individuals and companies involved in the supply of fake medications.
Authorities are also delving into the alleged international connections and the origins of the counterfeit labels as part of the ongoing investigation.
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