{
  "id": 12767737,
  "title": "Fake pharma racket sourced Pfizer labels from Turkiye: SIT",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/fake-pharma-racket-sourced-pfizer-labels-from-turkiye-sit",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-08T02:29:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hindustan Times",
    "slug": "hindustan-times",
    "url": "https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/fake-pharma-racket-sourced-pfizer-labels-from-turkiye-sit-101791402829771.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has uncovered a fraudulent pharmaceutical operation that sourced original Pfizer labels from Turkey. The mastermind behind the scheme, R Prashanth Ranjan Babu, was arrested upon arrival at Kempegowda International Airport in Bangalore. He had traveled to Turkey multiple times to obtain the authentic labels. When Babu's Turkish visa was revoked, investigators traced his movements through Azerbaijan, where intermediaries continued to arrange for the labels. The labels were allegedly applied to vials containing cheaper medications, making them appear as genuine Pfizer products.\n\nThe investigation revealed that the network involved multiple entities procuring drug material, processing it, and distributing the final products. The team traced nearly 10,000 vials labeled as Pfizer's Zavicefta and Emblaveo, both high-value antibiotics. Cheaper medicines were procured from states like Hyderabad, Chennai, and Uttarakhand, filled into vials, and then sold as genuine branded products. The case came to light on August 18 when the Karnataka Food Safety and Drugs Administration and Tavarekere police seized suspected counterfeit medicines, fake bills, injection filling equipment, and counterfeit labels worth around ₹5 crore. The Special Investigation Team was formed shortly after to investigate the broader network, leading to the arrest of seven individuals, including Veeresh Kumar Jain and Balasubramanya, an associate in DM Pharma.\n\nPrashanth established the pharmaceutical firm in 2021, leveraging over a decade of experience as a medical representative in various locations. He was believed to have knowledge of hospital demand, drug prices, distribution channels, and profit margins. Regulatory actions by the Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FSDA) also intensified, leading to the cancellation of licenses for 16 retail and wholesale pharmaceutical firms and suspensions for eight others, including Pfizer's depot in Nelamangala. The FSDA's actions have now reached the state high court, allowing the licenses of Fortune Medical Solutions and Vivanta Pharmaceuticals to continue pending further proceedings. The Special Investigation Team is now examining purchases, sales, stock movements, and bank transactions to reconstruct the flow of the suspected medicines and identify all beneficiaries involved in the illicit network.",
  "summary": "The SIT investigating the alleged fake pharmaceutical racket helmed by a former medical representative based in Karnataka has said that the probe traced overseas links in Turkiye who supplied original Pfizer labels used to package the contraband",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}