Ahmedabad: An alleged interstate counterfeit medicine network has been busted in Ahmedabad, with the Crime Branch and Food and Drugs Department recovering around 1,200 strips of fake blood pressure tablets and arresting three people. Officials estimate that nearly 15,000 counterfeit tablets may have been sold to patients over the past four months.
Fake medicine reaches multiple pharmacies
The counterfeit drug was identified as Nicardia Retard 10, a blood pressure medicine. Investigators said the fake stock carried batch number ACG25007 and was supplied to several medical stores in Ahmedabad and other parts of Gujarat.
Around 11 pharmacies in Ahmedabad reportedly received the suspected counterfeit medicine through Parshva Medical Store. The investigation also found links to medical stores in Surat, Bhavnagar, Nadiad and Bhuj.
Police arrested Darshil Sanghvi, associated with Parshva Medical Store, along with Devendra Yadav and Umang Rastogi, both from Lucknow. Investigators allege that the Lucknow-based accused supplied the counterfeit medicine to Gujarat, while Sanghvi distributed it further.
Supply trail leads from Uttarakhand to Lucknow
According to investigators, the suspected counterfeit stock was initially transported from Uttarakhand to Lucknow. Of about 3,600 strips, 2,700 were allegedly sent to Ahmedabad and another 900 to Mysuru.
Authorities recovered around 1,200 of the 2,700 strips sent to Ahmedabad, while the remaining 1,500 were reportedly sold. Four Crime Branch teams have been deployed across several states to trace the wider network and identify the facilities where the fake medicines were manufactured, packaged and sealed.
The case has raised serious concerns over patient safety, as counterfeit medicines may fail to provide the intended treatment and could contain unsafe or ineffective substances.
