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Delhi Police busts interstate racket involved in illicit pharmaceuticals trade; four held
Delhi Police arrested four persons linked to an interstate racket involved in manufacturing, relabelling and distribution of spurious prescription drugs, uncovering a processing and repackaging unit in Mukherjee Nagar, Delhi. The case involves diversions from government hospitals in Uttar Pradesh and large-scale illegal distribution across Delhi-NCR and northeastern states.
Why It Matters
The operation highlights risks to public health from counterfeit medicines and shows ongoing law enforcement efforts to curb illicit pharmaceutical networks and potential hawala funding channels.
Timeline
4 Events
Interrogation points to mastermind and network; four detained
May 7, 2026
During interrogation, Manoj Kumar Jain identified himself as the mastermind. He stated that he shifted to Delhi in 2024 after losses in construction work in Manipur and started the counterfeit medicine operation from Mukherjee Nagar in partnership with Raju Kumar Mishra about 18 months earlier. Mishra, Vikram Singh alias Sunny and Vatan were described as core players, with Mishra having previously run a unit manufacturing counterfeit Human Albumin in Derabassi, Punjab. Vikram Singh claimed to have observed surplus medicines in government hospitals in Prayagraj and helped divert them for relabelling and resale, while Vatan facilitated procuring medicines from government facilities in Uttar Pradesh. Investigators note the potential use of hawala channels for routing proceeds and say a detailed financial probe is underway. All four accused remain in police custody.
Raid at Indra Vikas Colony, Mukherjee Nagar; Manoj Kumar Jain arrested; large seizure
April 23, 2026
Following intelligence, a raid was conducted at a premises in Indra Vikas Colony, Mukherjee Nagar, with participation from drug inspectors of the Delhi Drugs Control Department and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation. Manoj Kumar Jain was apprehended, and a large quantity of branded medicines, government-supply drugs, suspected counterfeit medicines, packaging and labelling materials, and four labelling/packaging machines were recovered, indicating a well-organised illicit operation. The stock included thousands of tablets, capsules, injections and vials, such as 7,900 HepBest tablets, 6,000 Azithromycin tablets, 7,800 Lenvakast and 6,300 Lenvatol capsules, 953 rabies vaccine vials, 18,000 Zerodol-SP tablets, 9,000 UDIDAC tablets, 1,500 Vitamin D3 injections, 55 snake venom antiserum injections, 260 Anti-D immunoglobulin injections, 315 insulin cartridges, 2,500 Hepatitis-B vaccine doses and more than 20,000 Cefixime tablets, with an estimated total market value around ₹6 crore.
Case registered under BNYS and Drugs & Cosmetics Act
April 23, 2026
A case was registered at the Crime Branch police station on April 23 under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, as police pursued leads on the illicit medicines network.
Crime Branch forms intelligence team to probe illegal medicines trade
April 22, 2026
A crime branch team was constituted on April 22 to gather intelligence regarding the illegal trade of spurious and government-supplied medicines in Delhi, according to police.