CBI keeping tabs on portals selling spurious medicines

As per the government record, a large number of spurious medicines are making their way to the Indian market from abroad. Thanks to the mushrooming of e-shops, which sell these drugs openly.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has decided to start a crackdown on these such e-shops,   which are carrying out illegal activities. It has already registered cases against some of the accused involved in selling such medicines online.

Speaking to Millennium Post, a CBI spokesperson said: “Our narcotic branch, which falls under Economic Offence Wing is looking into some of the cases. The CBI has already started <g data-gr-id="40">crackdown</g> against such shops.”

This year, a record 20.7-million spurious medicines – including those for blood pressure, erectile dysfunction pills, cancer drugs and nutritional supplements – estimated around $81 million were seized worldwide, including India.

It was learnt that nearly 550 adverts for illicit pharmaceuticals were removed from the Internet and more than 2,410 websites were pulled down. Two websites linked to the sale of potentially lethal and illicit diet drug Dinitrophenol (DNP) were also shut.

Not the least, the CBI sleuths were shocked to know that use of lethal injections to check wrinkles like <g data-gr-id="48">Dermafil</g> Hyaluronic Acid dermal filler, Teosyal Hyaluronic Acid dermal filler, antidepressants and hormone replacement pills are on their <g data-gr-id="49">all time</g> high in Indian market.

Already, the Union government has asked various law enforcement agencies, including CBI, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Customs, Central Drug Standard Control Organisation (<g data-gr-id="52">CDSCO</g>), Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to chalk out a comprehensive plan to check such medicines from entering the Indian market.

CBI sources said: “Most of the medicines enter India mainly from the US, China and Bangladesh. Plans are under pipeline to launch a <g data-gr-id="39">well coordinated</g> operation against the people behind running such web-shops.”

Recently, in a workshop on ‘Combating Counterfeit Medicine’, CBI Director AK Sinha expressed his concerns over spurious medicines being flooded in the Indian market. He has said drugs save lives. “If drugs are spurious, nothing can be more dangerous for human life. The problem of counterfeit medicines has reached alarming proportion and there is an urgent need to fight this growing menace,” Sinha had said.

“According to an estimate of INTERPOL, fake medicines kill more people in a year than those who have lost their lives in terror attacks in the past 40 years. <g data-gr-id="46">Large</g> amount of money is involved in these transnational criminal enterprises. Counterfeiters, who run this deadly trade undercover, use sophisticated technologies and tools and are also well equipped,” he had said.

Sinha reiterated that any effective action against this activity would require continuous surveillance by the regulators and active co-operation from the Police, Health, Regulatory and Customs officials. 

“International cooperation is another aspect which needs to be addressed due to transnational ramifications of this crime,” he added.