Washington: Two Indian citizens have been formally accused in a US federal court of running a cross-border operation to smuggle and sell fake Ozempic, a widely used prescription injection for diabetes and weight loss, PTI reported.
A grand jury in Florida’s Middle District charged Swapandip Roy and Vicky Ramancha with conspiracy, smuggling and distributing counterfeit prescription drugs, the US Department of Justice said.
Roy was brought to the United States after being extradited from Italy. He appeared before a judge in Tampa, Florida, on Tuesday. Prosecutors say that if found guilty, each man could be sentenced to as much as 71 years in prison.
According to the indictment, Roy, Ramancha and their associates allegedly sourced counterfeit Ozempic from unauthorised suppliers in China from at least July 2023 through April 2024. They then sold the products to distributors in the US at prices far below the market rate.
The fake items reportedly came with imitation packaging, instruction leaflets, pen labels and needles, all designed to trick buyers into thinking they were getting genuine Ozempic approved by the drug’s manufacturer.
Scheme Continued After FDA Warning
Prosecutors say the alleged distribution carried on even after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized some of the counterfeit Ozempic in December 2023 and issued a public alert about the products.
Roy and Ramancha are each charged with one count of conspiring to smuggle goods and defraud the United States, three counts of smuggling, and two counts tied to selling and holding counterfeit drugs for sale.
“If convicted, Roy and Ramancha each face a maximum penalty of 71 years in prison,” a Justice Department statement said.
“Counterfeit prescription drugs – especially common ones – threaten the health and safety of every American who depends on the integrity of our pharmaceutical supply,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
“These defendants allegedly exploited people’s health to pay themselves. We will keep pursuing anyone who seeks to deceive American consumers with counterfeit drugs,” he said. “This indictment reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting Americans from potential harm from counterfeit prescription drugs,” he said.
‘Bad Actors’ In Drug Supply Chain Targeted
Assistant US Attorney Christopher Murray, for the Middle District of Florida, said: “Our office will not tolerate bad actors corrupting our pharmaceutical supply chain.”
“While the US wholesale distribution market is highly regulated, those who choose to subvert the safeguards of the legitimate drug regulatory regime and supply chain by introducing counterfeit drugs into the US market put American consumers at significant risk,” said Assistant Commissioner Justin Green of the US Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA OCI).
“Drug safety and quality do not begin or end at the US border. FDA takes reports of possible counterfeit medicines seriously and works closely with other federal agencies, foreign counterparts, and the private sector to help protect the nation’s drug supply,” Green said.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs arranged for Roy to remain in custody after his arrest on an INTERPOL Red Notice and then filed for his extradition from Italy.
