New Delhi: The Delhi Police’s Crime Branch has busted a high-value counterfeit cancer drug racket operating across the capital, arresting six individuals and seizing a large cache of spurious and unauthorised life-saving medications. According to the police, the operation, based on specific intelligence, targeted illegal drug hubs in Laxmi Nagar, Budh Vihar, and Chandni Chowk. The enforcement drive was led by the Crime Branch team of the Delhi Police under the supervision of Inspector Ashish Sharma and the direction of ACP Yashpal Singh. Acting on a tip-off received by ASI Sandeep Chawla, simultaneous raids were conducted at three locations, resulting in the seizure of multiple banned and unregistered drugs, including Opdivo, Cetuximab (Erbitux), Lenvatinib (Lenvima), Keytruda (Pembrolizumab), and others.
At Laxmi Nagar, police apprehended Neeraj Kumar and Anil Kumar, partners at Onco Life Care Pharma, and recovered five spurious Opdivo injections. In Budh Vihar, Dhanesh Sharma and Dheeraj Kumar were detained with a consignment of Erbitux, Lenvima capsules, and additional Opdivo doses, all marked “Not for Sale” and lacking authorisation. In Chandni Chowk’s Bhagirath Palace, Rohit Bhatti and Jyoti Grover were caught with a large haul of unauthorised medicines, including Xolair, Hemlibra, Venclyxto, and Keytruda. Investigations revealed the racket was led by Naveen Arya, a repeat offender who resumed operations after securing bail. He sold counterfeit cancer drugs at Rs 50,000–70,000, far below the genuine cost of over Rs 1.5 lakh. Victims were targeted via social media. A case under relevant BNS sections has been filed, and authorities are tracing affected patients.