2 Indians charged in US for smuggling fake Ozempic from China

Two Indian nationals have been charged in the United States for allegedly smuggling counterfeit Ozempic, a weight-loss drug, from China and selling the products to distributors in the country, the Department of Justice said Tuesday.Swapnadip Roy, 33, and Vicky Ramancha, 37, were charged in the Middle District of Florida. Roy was extradited from Italy to the US and made his initial appearance in Tampa on Tuesday, where he pleaded not guilty. Ramancha remains at large.Prosecutors allege that Roy and Ramancha obtained counterfeit Ozempic in China between July 2023 and April 2024 and sold the products to US distributors at discounted prices.The counterfeit products allegedly included packaging, package inserts, pen labels and needles designed to make buyers believe they were purchasing genuine Ozempic authorised by the manufacturer.The alleged 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 department said.Roy and Ramancha are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit smuggling and 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 sentence of 71 years in prison.Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division said counterfeit prescription drugs pose a threat to people who depend on the safety of the pharmaceutical supply.“These defendants allegedly exploited people’s health to pay themselves. We will keep pursuing anyone who seeks to deceive American consumers with counterfeit drugs,” Duva said.Assistant US Attorney Christopher Murray for the Middle District of Florida said the indictment reflected the department's efforts to protect Americans from potential harm caused by counterfeit prescription drugs.The FDA's Office of Criminal Investigations is investigating the case. Assistant Commissioner Justin Green said introducing counterfeit drugs into the US pharmaceutical supply chain puts consumers at significant risk.Roy was arrested in Italy pursuant to an INTERPOL Red Notice before the Justice Department secured his continued detention and sought his extradition to the US.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.