Indian nationals charged in US over fake Ozempic smuggling scheme

Two Indian nationals were charged in Florida over an alleged counterfeit Ozempic supply scheme in the US. Prosecutors said the operation continued after an FDA seizure, underscoring risks to the drug supply chain.

In Short

• Federal prosecutors alleged the operation ran from July 2023 to April 2024
• Investigators said fake packaging and needles mimicked authentic manufacturer-approved Ozempic products
• Authorities claim the medicines were sourced from unauthorised suppliers in China

Two Indian nationals have been charged in a US federal court in Florida in connection with an alleged transnational scheme to distribute counterfeit prescription drugs. A federal grand jury in the Middle District of Florida has alleged that Swapandip Roy, Vicky Ramancha and their co-conspirators sold counterfeit Ozempic to distributors in the United States at heavily discounted prices.

Roy was extradited from Italy to the United States and made his initial court appearance in Tampa, Florida, on Tuesday. Roy and Ramancha have been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit smuggling and to defraud the United States, three counts of smuggling, and two counts of selling counterfeit drugs and holding counterfeit drugs for sale. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 71 years in prison, the Department of Justice said.

According to court documents, the alleged scheme ran from at least July 2023 to April 2024. Investigators have alleged that Roy and Ramancha obtained counterfeit Ozempic from unauthorised sources in China. The counterfeit products allegedly included fake packaging, package inserts, pen labels and needles that were meant to mislead downstream customers into believing they were buying authentic Ozempic authorised by the manufacturer.

The indictment also alleged that the scheme continued even after the US Food and Drug Administration seized some of the counterfeit Ozempic in December 2023 and issued a public warning about the products. The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs secured Roy's continued detention after his arrest under an INTERPOL Red Notice and then filed a request for his extradition from Italy.

"Counterfeit prescription drugs – especially common ones – threaten the health and safety of every American who depends on the integrity of our pharmaceutical supply," said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division. "These defendants allegedly exploited people's health to pay themselves. We will keep pursuing anyone who seeks to deceive American consumers with counterfeit drugs," he said.

Assistant US Attorney Christopher Murray for the Middle District of Florida said, "This indictment reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting Americans from potential harm from counterfeit prescription drugs." He added, "Our office will not tolerate bad actors corrupting our pharmaceutical supply chain." Assistant Commissioner Justin Green of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations said, "While the US wholesale distribution market is highly regulated, those who choose to subvert the safeguards of the legitimate drug regulatory regime and supply chain by introducing counterfeit drugs into the US market put American consumers at significant risk." He added, "Drug safety and quality do not begin or end at the US border. FDA takes reports of possible counterfeit medicines seriously and works closely with other federal agencies, foreign counterparts, and the private sector to help protect the nation's drug supply."

The case centres on allegations that the two accused sourced counterfeit Ozempic from China, sold it in the US through deceptive packaging and continued the operation even after an FDA seizure and warning, with Roy later extradited from Italy to face the charges in Florida.

With PTI Inputs

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