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Counterfeit Ozempic Ring Busted in US
30 Sep
Summary
- Two Indian nationals indicted for selling fake Ozempic.
- Counterfeit drugs smuggled from China into the US.
- Defendants face up to 71 years in prison if convicted.
Two Indian nationals, Swapnadip Roy and Vicky Ramancha, both residents of Dubai, have been indicted for their alleged involvement in a scheme to sell counterfeit Ozempic to U.S. distributors. The charges, unsealed recently, include conspiracy and smuggling offenses.
Prosecutors allege that Roy and Ramancha smuggled thousands of counterfeit units of the popular weight-loss drug from unauthorized manufacturers in China into the United States. This operation subverted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration-regulated wholesale distribution market.
The scheme, which allegedly began in July 2023 and continued through April 2024, involved drugs with fake packaging, labels, and needles. Roy has appeared in federal court after extradition from Italy, while Ramancha is still at large.
If convicted, Roy and Ramancha face a maximum penalty of 71 years in prison. The Justice Department stated that counterfeit prescription drugs pose serious health risks and threaten American consumers.
