Hyderabad: In a breakthrough in the fight against counterfeit drugs, a joint operation led by the Drug Control Administration, Telangana, Commissioner’s Task Force, Hyderabad, and Malakpet Police successfully dismantled an illegal drug manufacturing network, said Hyderabad City Police. The operation, named ‘Operation JAI,’ targeted a pharma factory called Nectar Herbs and Drugs located in Kotdwar, Uttarakhand.

The operation, conducted on  February 27, followed intelligence reports regarding the movement of counterfeit drugs. A raid in Malakpet led to the seizure of 27,200 tablets of spurious antibiotic ‘MPOD-200 Tablets,’ worth Rs. 7.34 lakhs. The tablets were falsely labelled as manufactured by a non-existent company. 

Arrests and Revelations 

The investigation led to the arrest of individuals involved in the distribution chain, including Aravapalli Satyanarayana, Vangari Naveen, and Gandla Ramulu. During interrogation, Gandla Ramulu revealed the source of the spurious drugs to be Vishad Kumar of Kotdwar, Uttarakhand, who operated Nectar Herbs and Drugs. A coordinated effort by law enforcement agencies from Telangana and Uttarakhand uncovered the manufacturing facility of Nectar Herbs and Drugs. The raid on February 29 exposed the production of counterfeit Cefixime Tablets falsely labelled as 'Omnicef-O 200 Tablets.' 

Key Players and Operations of Drug Counterfeiting Network Revealed

Sachin Kumar, aided by Vishad Kumar, manufactured spurious drugs using fake labels from reputed companies local police added. The counterfeit labels were produced at Vaishnavi Printers in Roorkee, Uttarakhand. Sachin Kumar admitted to manufacturing drugs from various reputed companies and receiving orders from distributors like Gandla Ramulu.Authorities seized a large quantity of counterfeit drugs and packaging materials during the operation. The prime suspects, Sachin Kumar and Vishad Kumar, were arrested, and legal action has been initiated against them.

The statement from Hyderabad police added, officials from both Telangana and Uttarakhand played important roles in the operation. S Rashmi Perumal, IPS, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Commissioner’s Task Force, Hyderabad, and Jaya Baloni, IPS, Superintendent of Police, Kotdwar, Uttarakhand, provided essential support to ensure the operation's success. Counterfeit drugs pose a severe threat to public health, and the authorities are ‘committed’ to taking further action to prevent their circulation. Further investigations are underway to ensure justice and protect public health from such criminal activities.