17 Arrested in Interstate Racket Selling Counterfeit, Diverted Cancer Drugs

The Delhi Police Crime Branch has arrested 17 people for allegedly operating an interstate syndicate that procured, stored, repackaged and sold counterfeit and illegally diverted anti-cancer medicines, officials said. The arrests follow a coordinated investigation that spanned Delhi-NCR, Mumbai and Hyderabad.

Police said the raids led to the recovery of 588 filled vials, six empty vials, seven empty medicine boxes and 3,021 units of medicines valued at around ₹9 crore. In addition, ₹50 lakh in cash, electronic devices, registers, diaries and packaging material were seized from the accused.

According to investigators, the syndicate sourced medicines through three distinct channels: counterfeit drugs procured from unauthorised sources, medicines diverted from hospitals meant for cancer patients, and government-supplied medicines diverted from institutions and warehouses. The medicines were procured without valid documentation, stored and later distributed through a network of intermediaries.

The case came to light after the police received a tip-off on June 22. On July 11, seven teams of the Inter-State Cell conducted coordinated raids in Delhi and Navi Mumbai in collaboration with local police. A formal case was registered on July 12 under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Investigators found that original cartons and empty boxes were allegedly reused for repackaging. Batch numbers and MRP details were removed using acetone, a chemical solvent, to conceal the true source of the medicines. This practice makes it difficult for patients and healthcare providers to verify the authenticity of the drugs, officials noted.

Police have identified several key operatives in the syndicate. Abhishek Vaishya allegedly procured and supplied anti-cancer medicines through unauthorised channels. Shubham Kumar Chaudhary and his brother Suraj were also allegedly involved in the network. Gagan allegedly procured injections from Satish Kumar for Vaishya, acting as an intermediary.

Another accused, Mukesh, allegedly procured medicines from hospitals and supplied them to pharmacists and brokers. Twelve vials and ₹16.50 lakh in cash were recovered from his vehicle, police said. Vishwas Tyagi allegedly facilitated invoices without corresponding supplies, creating a paper trail to legitimise the illegal transactions. Paramjeet Sheoran allegedly distributed the medicines through his medical store.

In Hyderabad, Srinivasulu Kalva, Ramdas Satish Kumar and Malugari Srinath Reddy were arrested for allegedly receiving or misappropriating medicines meant for patients. Mayank Garg allegedly procured medicines from hospitals and circulated them through the network. Deepak, also known as Ravi, a former personal assistant to an oncologist, allegedly received vials from nursing in-charge Jaswant Sharma. Police recovered 108 vials and ₹6.50 lakh from his residence.

Officials said the investigation is continuing to trace the beneficiaries and the financial trail, and to ascertain the involvement of other individuals and business entities. The arrest of hospital staff members raises serious concerns about the integrity of medicine supply chains in cancer care, they added.

Counterfeit or diverted anti-cancer drugs pose a grave risk to patients, as they may be ineffective, contaminated or incorrectly dosed, potentially leading to treatment failure or severe adverse effects. Authorities have urged patients to obtain medicines only from licensed pharmacies and to report any suspicious offers or packaging to the police or drug regulators.