New Delhi, June 6 : With the arrest of four persons, including a Syrian national, the Delhi Police's Crime Branch on Thursday claimed to have busted an international syndicate involved in manufacturing and supplying fake cancer/diabetes medicines in a two-month long operation.

The official said that the Syrian national, Monir Ahamd (54), used to supply medicines between Turkey, Egypt and India.

Other accused were identified as Naveen Arya, (40), Saurabh Garg (34) and Karan Khaneja (27).

Multiple International Brand Life Savings fake cancer/diabetes medicines worth crores of rupees have been seized.

According to police, information was developed by Cyber Cell, Crime Branch that some medicine vendors/whole sellers in the area of Delhi/NCR were illegally selling spurious and unregistered lifesaving drugs (anti-cancer drugs) and lifestyle drugs like Opdivo/Opdyta (BMS Company), Revolade (Novartis company), Keytruda (MSD Merck), Erbitux (Merck Kgga), Ozempic (Novo Nordisk company), Lenvima (Eisai company).

'On April 4, the police team raided Shree Ram International Traders situated at Bhagirath Palace where there was suspicious stock of various imported drugs along with other trade stock for sale/distribution purpose worth Rs 1.5 crore approx. were found,' said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Paweriya.

The stock was seized by the Drugs Inspector and it was revealed that the owner of the shop, Arya, was selling spurious and unregistered lifesaving drugs.

Thereafter, another raid was conducted at a separate medicine vendor, i.e., Tery White Life Care situated in Daryaganj with the officials of the Drug Inspector and a representative of Span Consultancy.

'During a cursory search of the shop, suspicious stock of various imported huge drugs along with other trade stock for sale/distribution purpose worth Rs 2.5 crore approx. were found. Tery White Life Care was also selling spurious and unregistered lifesaving drugs illegally,' said the DCP.

The recovered/seized medicine products were imported and not authorised for sale and distribution in India.

During the probe, it was revealed that the syndicate is being operated in connivance with foreign nationals.

'Thereafter, information was received that one foreign national of Syria was coming to Delhi for the deal of fake medicines. On May 14, a trap was led at New Delhi Railway Station and Monir Ahmad was apprehended,' said the DCP.

On interrogation, he informed that he acted as a carrier to supply the medicines between Turkey, Egypt and India and was involved regularly in supplying Turkish and Egyptian medicines to India and Indian medicines to Turkey and Egypt market.

During further investigation, he disclosed that he usually visited the medical market at Bhagirath Place and used to supply the imported (Turkish and Egyptian) medicines to the co-accused person Naveen Arya, Director of Shreeram International Trader and Sourabh Garg and Karan Khaneja directors of Tery White Life Care.

/IANS