Fake drug factory busted in Agra, 10 arrested, medicines worth Rs 8 crore seized

Authorities in Agra dismantle a major counterfeit drug operation. Ten people have been arrested, and counterfeit medicines worth Rs 8 crore have been seized.

In Short

• Gang operated with advanced machinery, sourced materials from multiple states
• To evade detection, gang relocated operations every six months
• Vijay Goyal, along with Narendra Sharma, Amit Pathak and others arrested

A major spurious and narcotic drug racket has been busted in Uttar Pradesh's Agra. Vijay Goyal, an infamous drug trade mafia, had resumed operations at a bogus drug manufacturing unit in Sikandara’s industrial area after being released on bail.

On Tuesday, the Anti Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) and Agra Police raided the factory, seizing counterfeit medicines worth over Rs 8 crore and machinery valued at Rs 4 crore. Ten people, including Vijay Goyal and his manager Narendra Sharma, have been arrested.

An official stated that the team had been monitoring individuals involved in drug-related cases. During an investigation into Vijay Goyal’s activities, it was noted that he frequently travelled to Himachal Pradesh and was spending large sums of money. This led to a tip-off about the factory in Sikandara Industrial Area, the official said.

The large-scale production of counterfeit and narcotic drugs, with advanced machinery used for packing the medicines, was being run at the factory.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Agra, Suraj Kumar Rai, told India Today that Vijay Goyal had been involved in similar operations in the past. In July 2023, ANTF raided his factories in the Sikandara and Bichpuri areas, where fake drugs were also recovered. Goyal and several associates were jailed at that time.

According to the probe, the gang sourced raw materials and machinery from various states, including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, and Himachal Pradesh. To evade detection, the group relocated its operations, staff, and warehouses every six months.

Vijay Goyal, along with Narendra Sharma, Amit Pathak, Ashok Kushwah, Shiv Kumar Kushwah, Alok Kushwah, Ravikant, and Jitendra Kushwah, have been arrested and charged under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Agra has previously seen similar drug-related busts. In 2020, ANTF uncovered a gang producing fake antibiotics, and in 2021, another factory on Shamshabad Road was found selling counterfeit medicines. These incidents have highlighted Agra as a hub for the illegal production of fake medicines.