Two Indian Nationals Indicted in US Over Counterfeit Ozempic Smuggling
A US federal grand jury has indicted two Indian nationals for allegedly smuggling and selling counterfeit Ozempic, with one defendant extradited from Italy.
Two Indian nationals have been indicted by a federal grand jury in the United States for allegedly smuggling and selling counterfeit versions of Ozempic, the popular weight-loss and diabetes drug, the Department of Justice said on Tuesday.
One of the accused, Swapnadip Roy, entered a plea of not guilty on Tuesday following his extradition from Italy, according to the department. The other defendant was identified as Vicky Ramancha.
Prosecutors allege that between July 2023 and April 2024, the pair procured counterfeit Ozempic from China and sold it to distributors in the United States at discounted prices. The fake medication allegedly came with packaging, inserts and labels designed to make buyers believe they were purchasing the genuine product.
Ozempic, which can cost patients hundreds of dollars each month, has seen soaring demand in the US and other markets, creating openings for illicit suppliers.
The Justice Department said the operation persisted 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.
Roy and Ramancha face charges of smuggling and selling counterfeit drugs, along with conspiracy to commit smuggling and to defraud the United States. If convicted, they could face up to 71 years in prison.