Authorities have dismantled a significant counterfeit drug racket operating in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. The operation involved the seizure of approximately 24.3 million rupees worth of fake pharmaceuticals. The Special Task Force (STF) and the Drug Department collaborated to conduct raids on several locations, including Bansal Medical Agency, Hema Medical Store, and multiple warehouses. The primary figure, pharmaceutical businessman Himanshu Agarwal, was arrested and is currently under investigation.
The investigation exposed the use of fake QR codes to make counterfeit drugs appear authentic, making it nearly impossible for consumers to differentiate between genuine and fake products. Furthermore, the sale of these drugs involved the use of fake firms. The authorities also discovered that the fake medications were sourced from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and then distributed through illegal channels to countries such as Nepal and Bangladesh.