Karnataka FDA Busts Counterfeit Drug Racket; 16 Licenses Cancelled

The Karnataka FDA conducted a crackdown on illicit drug manufacturing operations centred at a facility in Bidadi, uncovering an extensive counterfeit pharmaceutical racket. The enforcement action resulted in the cancellation of 16 drug licenses and suspension of an additional eight, marking a significant regulatory intervention in the state's pharmaceutical sector.

Investigators discovered that the operation involved relabelling low-cost generic medications with counterfeit labels of expensive foreign brand-name drugs, then distributing them through illicit channels. The scheme exploited price differentials between domestic and international pharmaceutical products to generate illicit profits.

During the operation, authorities seized counterfeit medicines valued at Rs 5.05 crore, along with packaging machinery and printing equipment used to produce fraudulent labels and packaging materials. The seizure targets the infrastructure that enabled the large-scale production and distribution of substandard pharmaceuticals.

The bust underscores ongoing concerns about counterfeit drug networks in India's pharmaceutical supply chain. Regulatory authorities have intensified scrutiny of unauthorized manufacturing facilities and unlicensed drug distribution channels that pose public health risks.