In a significant crackdown, the Delhi Police's Crime Branch has dismantled a large-scale counterfeit medicine operation that involved prescription-only Schedule H ointments. On December 14, two individuals, Gaurav Bhagat, aged 42, and 27-year-old Vishal Gupta, were apprehended. Authorities seized an astounding collection of over 7,500 tubes of counterfeit Betnovate-C, Clop-G, and Skinshine from an illicit manufacturing facility located in Ghaziabad.
This operation was the result of a concerted effort by the Crime Branch, which reported the bust via social media, highlighting the seizure of counterfeit Schedule H ointments valued at approximately ₹2.3 crore. Alongside the bogus products, police also confiscated raw materials, machinery, packing supplies, and more than 12,000 additional tubes of fake Betnovate-C, Clop-G, and Skinshine ointments.
The investigation began when the cyber cell received tips regarding the distribution of counterfeit drugs in Teliwara, a prominent wholesale market for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics in Sadar Bazar. Following this lead, law enforcement executed a raid on a warehouse where they discovered a substantial amount of these fraudulent ointments.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Aditya Gautam addressed the media, explaining that the seized goods included popular medications often prescribed for sports injuries and skin ailments. He expressed grave concerns regarding the public health dangers posed by such counterfeit products, emphasizing their potential harm to unsuspecting consumers.
Further inquiries led investigators to an illegal production site in Mirpur Hindu village, near Loni in Ghaziabad. During this raid, conducted with drug inspectors and representatives from legitimate pharmaceutical companies present, the authorities found around 1,200 tubes of fake Betnovate-C, 2,700 tubes of Clop-G, and 3,700 tubes of Skinshine. They also uncovered nearly 22,000 empty tubes of Clop-G, ready for filling, along with over 350 kilograms of raw materials, chemicals, packaging components, and machinery used for manufacturing. The total estimated worth of all items seized is around ₹2.3 crore.
The two arrested individuals face charges under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, with formal complaints lodged at the Crime Branch station. Drug inspectors from both Delhi and Uttar Pradesh took samples from the seized items to verify their authenticity, confirming that none of the counterfeit ointments were produced or distributed by the recognized pharmaceutical companies.
Investigations indicate that this illegal operation may have been active since 2019, with the counterfeit medicines reportedly packaged and distributed through a network of vendors and delivery personnel to various markets across the region.
The Crime Branch has announced plans for additional raids to completely dismantle the extensive supply chain behind this racket, which includes distributors and retailers implicated in the illicit trade.
This incident raises important questions about consumer safety and the regulatory measures needed to combat the proliferation of counterfeit medicines. How can we better protect ourselves from such deceptive practices? What role should authorities play in ensuring the legitimacy of pharmaceuticals in our markets? Your thoughts?
