Delhi Police have arrested four people for running a counterfeit drug racket worth around Rs 10 crore that supplied fake medicines for serious illnesses, including cancer and liver disease.
Police identified the mastermind as Manoj Kumar Mishra, a native of Manipur. According to investigators, Mishra entered the illegal pharmaceutical trade after his surgical gloves and masks business collapsed in 2022 following the pandemic.
Operating under the name “Unitel Pharma,” the syndicate manufactured and distributed counterfeit medicines across Northeast and East India.
Police said the group used advanced machinery to produce packaging closely resembling genuine pharmaceutical brands, making it difficult for pharmacists and patients to identify fake products.
The investigation also revealed links to the healthcare supply chain. Two accused, Vikram Singh and Watan Saini, are accused of diverting genuine medicines from the Central Government Health Scheme and supplying them to the racket. Another accused, Raju Mishra, was part of the manufacturing operation.
During raids, police seized more than 90,000 capsules and counterfeit tablets along with heavy manufacturing and packaging equipment. Officials also recovered documents that detail the syndicate’s operations and profits.
Police said investigations are underway to trace the distribution network and identify the states where the fake medicines were sold. Officials added that more revelations are expected as interrogation of the accused continues.