BENGALURU: The Karnataka government will be constituting a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe an alleged spurious drug racket involving illegal repacking and relabelling of medicines, with the Karnataka Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FDA) seizing drugs and other materials estimated to cost Rs 4.91crore, from an unlicensed facility in Bidadi.
The racket came to light following a tip-off on Tuesday, when the FDA’s Drug Enforcement Wing conducted an inspection at a farmhouse in Kurubarakeranahalli, Bidadi. Officials found the premises allegedly being used to procure lower-cost medicines from other states, fill them into new vials and relabel them to resemble expensive multinational and imported drugs, including products bearing Pfizer’s name.
The seized stock included 5,640 vials of Cefiavigent 2.5 injection, valued at Rs 3.38crore, 1,531 vials of Hizlam injectables worth Rs 52.24lakh, 470 vials of Xavitaz injection valued at Rs 27.49lakh, 264 vials of Emblaveo bearing the name Pfizer Limited worth Rs 20.59lakh, and 165 vials of Zavicefta injection valued at Rs 5.45lakh.
The team also seized 30 boxes of expired medicines, estimated at Rs 35 lakh.
Deputy Drug Controller Suresh Kempaiah said the suspects allegedly procured medicines at lower prices, opened the original vials, removed the powder and transferred it into new vials before applying labels of costly brands. Officials also found labels and a small machine allegedly used for the repacking process.
Scanning codes on the labels were found to be non-functional. The department is now tracing the entire supply chain to establish the source of the medicines, distributors involved and establishments to which the products may have been supplied. Batch numbers and entries relating to the seized drugs are being blocked on the Karnataka FDA portal.
Health Minister UT Khader said the department had no information so far to indicate that the medicines had been used in government hospitals in Karnataka, but said officials would verify this.
A police complaint was filed at Tavarekere Police Station. The SIT will now focus on tracing the wider network, movement of the suspected spurious medicines across states.