As per a DD report, Delhi Police's Crime Branch has busted a counterfeit medicine racket worth crores of rupees. The report has also said that 7 people have been arrested for allegedly supplying 'Fake' cancer chemotherapy drugs.
Of the seven people who were arrested for allegedly supplying fake medicines for cancer, two were employees at a cancer hospital in Delhi. The arrests were made on charges of selling fake chemotherapy medicines for cancer treatment.
As per India Today report the expose was made in Delhi's Moti Nagar area. In the operation, police recovered anine cancer medicines, worth Rs 4 crore, and cash. A huge quantity of empty vials, packaging equipment, and machinery equipment was also seized.
Crime Branch of Delhi sprung into action after it received a tip about a racket of selling fake medicines from a source. Raids were conducted at 4 locations in the national capital and massive recovery was reported. While there's a web of middle-men involved in the racket, the prime accused in the case has been identified as Viphil Jain. During the raids, 140 filled vials of cancer injections of Opdyta, Keytruda, Dextrose, and Fluconazole brands were seized.
February 2024: E-pharmacies receive notice over selling fake medicines
This comes a month after India's e-commerce platforms experienced a surge in demand during the lockdown, but it has put online marketplaces at odds with brick and mortar stores. The Confederation of Indian Traders has been demanding action against Amazon and Flipkart over unfair trade practices, even calling them the modern version of the British East India Company. Although e-pharmacies have gained popularity by delivering medicines, a complaint by Indian chemists has triggered a regulatory probe against them.
The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) had also sent a show-cause notices to major e-pharma platforms including Tata 1MG and Amazon. This action was prompted by a complaint from All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), alleging that e-pharmacies are violating drug laws. The industry body had also claimed that the rise of online drugstores, coincided with a sudden spike in the volume of duplicate medicines in Indian markets.
