₹17 Lakh Fake Cancer Drug Seized as Faridabad Doctor Held in Delhi-NCR Racket

Faridabad, Haryana: On August 24, an MBBS Doctor from Faridabad has been arrested by the Delhi Police for allegedly being involved in a case of smuggling and selling counterfeit and unapproved anti-cancer medicines in and around Delhi NCR, said an officer on Wednesday.

The doctor is a 39-year-old man with an MBBS Degree from a Russian University. After an investigation, the police found that although he has a degree, he failed to pass the examination required to practise in India.

The Faridabad doctor was arrested for selling fake cancer medicines that he sold through a firm that was registered in his name and on a B2B portal by posting regular listings of the counterfeit cancer medicines.

Police also revealed that the Faridabad doctor worked at a hospital in Faridabad and eventually opened a clinic in Jawahar Colony, where other freelance doctors also treated patients. However, both the clinics had to be closed after going through a financial crunch.

He also opened a polyclinic along with his wife and registered as a pharmaceutical company and scammed patients and doctors online through a B2B portal.

Also see: DEA Cracks Down on 200+ Illegal Online Pharmacies Linked to India Selling Fentanyl-Laced Fake Medicines

On April 21, the police received information from another doctor who flagged that counterfeit anti-cancer and other life-saving drugs were sold to clinics in Delhi. The complaint helped Delhi police to bring the fake leukemia medicine racket to light.

​The police said that the doctor first noticed the counterfeit medicines while he was looking for leukemia medicine.

​According to reports by HT, DCP Harsh Indora said that the Faridabad Doctor was importing the fake medicines from Turkey while the particular cancer drugs are only manufactured in Japan and the USA.

Inspector Pawan Kumar led a team to catch the Faridabad doctor red-handed; a trap was set near a Mother Dairy booth in Sukhdev Vihar, where the police seized a stock of the medicines and caught the accused. The stock that was seized comprised fake medicines as well as medicines which are not permitted for sale in the country.

Also see: Fake Doctor Arrested in Rajkot, Medicines and Medical Equipment Seized

Police seized several counterfeit medicines, including a US-based drug that is used in treating advanced leukemia. The drug is sold for Rs 17 Lakh in India. The haul also contained smuggled Turkish contraband, specifically four vials of a counterfeit drug and two boxes of a fake multiple myeloma treatment, with each box valued at around ₹2.27 lakh.

According to reports, the DCP stated, “ The drugs are manufactured in Japan and the US, and their counterfeit was produced in Turkey. A well-organised network was dealing in counterfeit, smuggled and unapproved medicines. We are examining the entire supply chain, including the persons to whom they were supplied.”

​The police are investigating to find out more about the supply chain to identify what other kinds of counterfeit drugs the Faridabad doctor was smuggling and the recipients of the fake medicines.

(Rh/ARC)