In a major enforcement drive against a statewide counterfeit medicine syndicate, the Karnataka Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FDA) has cancelled the licences of 16 pharmaceutical establishments and suspended the operations of eight others, spanning key hubs including Bengaluru, Belagavi, and Hubballi.
The enforcement follows an August 18 raid on an unlicensed manufacturing and repacking unit operating out of a farmhouse at Kurubarakeranahalli near Bidadi, Bengaluru South. Drug enforcement officials seized counterfeit medicines, machinery, packaging material, and forged labels with an estimated market value of ₹5.05 crore.
Belagavi and Hubballi Outlets Under the Scanner
While the bulk of the penalized distributors and retailers operate in Bengaluru, regulatory action has reached North Karnataka:
- Belagavi: The FDA has placed M/s Viva Pharma, located at Shailaja Building, Club Road, Belagavi (PIN: 590001), under immediate licence suspension pending further findings.
- Hubballi: The licence of M/s N.S. Pharma, based at Kesar Plaza near Jain Mandir on Ganti Hospital Road, Hosur, Hubballi, has been completely cancelled.
Modus Operandi: Cheap Drugs Relabelled as Life-Saving MNC Brands
Preliminary findings revealed that the syndicate sourced cheap bulk medications from neighbouring states, brought them to the farmhouse setup, and refilled them into vials. The bottles were subsequently packaged and relabelled as high-cost, critical-care medications under global brand names, notably Pfizer.
To evade scrutiny, the syndicate pasted counterfeit stickers equipped with fake or non-functional QR/scanning codes intended to trick purchasers and hospital inventory systems. The seizure also included 30 boxes of expired medicines worth roughly ₹35 lakh, raising alarms that obsolete stock was being reintroduced directly into hospital and retail supply lines.
A criminal case has been registered under Section 17B and Section 27 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
Summary of Penalized Establishments
Suspended Licences (8 Entities)
- M/s. Viva Pharma – Shailaja Building, Club Road, Belagavi
- M/s Pfizer Ltd (C&F Depot) – Nelamangala Taluk, Bengaluru Rural
- M/s Med Pharma – Doddakakkanahalli, Bengaluru
- M/s Surya Speciality Hospital – Bommasandra Industrial Area, Bengaluru
- M/s Sagar Pharma (Unit-II) – Tilaknagar, Bengaluru
- M/s Vivantha Pharmaceuticals – 9th Block, Jayanagar, Bengaluru
- M/s Maruthi Medicals – Vijayanagar, Bengaluru
- M/s Hi-5 Pharma – K.G. Halli, Bengaluru
Cancelled Licences (16 Entities)
- Hubballi: M/s N.S. Pharma (Hosur, Hubballi)
- Bengaluru: M/s Avesco Healthcare, M/s Bangalore Speciality Pharma (Commercial St.), M/s Bengalurus Speciality Pharma (Museum Rd), M/s Bangalore Speciality Pharma (TR Mill), M/s Patel Medi Trade, M/s Rajarajeshwari Pharma, M/s Surya Specialty Pharma, M/s SWS Pharma, M/s Krupa Healthcare, M/s St. Philomena Hospital Drug Centre, M/s Sagar Pharma, M/s Zymus Pharma, M/s Fortune Medical Solutions, M/s Excelcare Pharma, and M/s Patel Medicals.
State SIT Broadens Probe
Following high-level discussions, a multi-agency Special Investigation Team (SIT) was established on August 19, incorporating officials from the Drug Enforcement Wing, State Police, and Commercial Tax Department to trace inter-state links and distribution trails.
Authorities emphasized that strict legal action will be pursued against all perpetrators regardless of their influence. In the interim, consumers and healthcare facilities have been cautioned to verify QR codes and procure critical medications solely through authorized channels against proper tax invoices.
