2 Indians Charged In US For Selling Fake Ozempic. They Smuggled It From China

Washington: At least two Indians have been charged in the United States for allegedly smuggling and selling counterfeit Ozempic, the diabetes and weight-loss drug. The indictment by a federal grand jury in the Middle District of Florida has alleged that the accused, Swapandip Roy and Vicky Ramancha, and their co-conspirators obtained counterfeit Ozempic in China and sold it to US distributors at discounted prices, according to the US Department of Justice. One of the defendants, Roy, has pleaded not guilty during his initial appearance in court in Tampa, Florida, after being extradited from Italy, while the other, Ramancha, remains at large, the department said.Together, the duo faces a 71-year jail term if convicted.The court documents showed that between July 2023 and April 2024, Roy and Ramancha obtained counterfeit Ozempic from unauthorised sources in China. The counterfeit medication included packaging, inserts, pen labels, and needles allegedly meant to convince purchasers that they were receiving authentic Ozempic, the popular weight-loss drug that can cost hundreds of dollars per month for patients."The scheme continued even after the FDA seized some of the counterfeit Ozempic in December 2023 and issued a public warning regarding the products," the Justice Department said.Roy and Ramancha were charged with smuggling and selling counterfeit drugs, as well as conspiracy to commit smuggling and defraud the United States. "Counterfeit prescription drugs -- especially common ones -- threaten the health and safety of every American who depends on the integrity of our pharmaceutical supply," said A Tysen Duva, the Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department's Criminal Division.Duva said the two accused allegedly exploited people's health to pay themselves. "We will keep pursuing anyone who seeks to deceive American consumers with counterfeit drugs.""This indictment reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting Americans from potential harm from counterfeit prescription drugs," said Christopher Murray, Assistant US Attorney for the Middle District of Florida."Our office will not tolerate bad actors corrupting our pharmaceutical supply chain," Murray said."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 secured Roy's continued detention, following his arrest pursuant to an INTERPOL Red Notice, and then timely filed a request for his extradition from Italy.