A patient lost his eyesight and another suffered paralysis.
Delhi Police arrested a supplier recently. He was caught selling fake medicines to 16 individuals undergoing cancer treatment.
The rampant trade of counterfeit drugs disguised as life-saving cancer medications is thriving in several states across India, with Delhi-NCR being the epicentre of the illegal operation. Despite the exorbitant prices of up to Rs 10 lakh per medication, fake Prednisolone tablets, Ciprofloxacin injections and other medicines are being sold to unsuspecting patients in Bihar, UP, Rajasthan, Haryana, MP and Chhattisgarh.
Delhi Police have exposed the involvement of multiple individuals in the counterfeit drug business and efforts are underway to track them down. Unfortunately, patients who consume these spurious medicines are experiencing severe side effects, leading to numerous complaints to the police. To date, 11 people have been arrested, and the Delhi Police have seized several bank accounts associated with the gang, which have crores of rupees deposited in them. Shockingly, some healthcare workers posted in hospitals in Delhi-NCR, including a doctor and an engineer working in government hospitals, are allegedly involved in this illegal trade. The ringleader of the gang is reportedly a doctor working at GTB Hospital in Delhi.
Delhi Police arrested a supplier recently. He was caught selling fake medicines to 16 individuals undergoing cancer treatment. Using this medicine a patient lost his eyesight. A patient suffered paralysis. When the police became active in the matter of all the victims, a big racket was revealed. Victims’ complaints have led to raids being conducted in several states.
How expensive are cancer medicines?
Significantly, cancer medicines are very expensive. Upon analyzing the seized medicines, AIIMS Delhi confirmed that they were counterfeit, validating the suspicions of the Delhi Police. Medicines like Ibrutinib capsule, and Lucibru 140 used in cancer disease are found to be fake in the market. The fake medicines are being sold for a hefty price of 8 to 10 thousand rupees in the market and are being prescribed for various conditions, including blood cancer.
Despite the recent seizures of spurious medicines in Delhi NCR, the illegal supply of such medications continues unabated in several areas, including Muradnagar, Lone, Tronica City, and Rajnagar Extension of Ghaziabad. In the past year, various law enforcement agencies have seized large quantities of counterfeit drugs, highlighting the magnitude of the problem. For instance, a fake medicine worth Rs 5 lakh was seized in Dasna, Ghaziabad, on November 10, 2022. On November 11, with the help of the Delhi Police, the UP Police confiscated a fake medicine worth 8 crores in Loni, adjacent to Delhi. Similarly, in Rajnagar Extension, 16 lakh fake injections were seized on September 8, and fake medicines worth Rs 15 lakh were discovered in Baghpat and Shamli, adjoining Delhi-NCR, on September 21. On November 3 to 4, people were arrested in Sambhal with fake medicines worth one crore.
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