Fake Mounjaro Injections Racket Busted: Health Alert Issued

A fake Mounjaro (tirzepatide) injection manufacturing and distribution racket has been busted in Gurugram, India, prompting a nationwide alert due to potential health risks associated with the counterfeit diabetes medication.

Photograph: Yves Herman/Reuters

Key Points

A racket involving the manufacturing and sale of fake Mounjaro injections has been unearthed in Gurugram.
Two individuals have been arrested in connection with the counterfeit diabetes drug operation.
The accused were importing raw drugs from China to manufacture the fake Mounjaro injections.
A nationwide alert has been issued to detect the counterfeit injections and prevent health risks.
The fake injections were being supplied through the B2B portal Indiamart.

Authorities in Gurugram have unearthed a racket involving the manufacturing and sale of "fake" Mounjaro (tirzepatide) injections and arrested two persons here in this connection, an official said on Monday.

Nationwide Alert Issued for Counterfeit Injections

A nationwide alert has been issued to detect the counterfeit injections and an investigation is underway to unravel the entire network, including all those involved in this racket, Drug Control Officer Amandeep Chauhan said.

He said a Health Department team raided a residential society in Sector 62 on Monday and arrested two people, including the key accused.

Details of the Fake Injection Operation

The accused were importing raw drugs from China and manufacturing counterfeit injections of Mounjaro. The entire racket was being run from a flat in the society. The accused supplied these illegal injections through the B2B portal Indiamart, the officer alleged.

MounjaroÂ is a weekly injectable medication for type 2 diabetesÂ that significantly improves blood sugar control and aids weight loss.

"We received information about a fake injection chain operating in Gurugram and acting on this information, we conducted a raid", Chauhan said.

Seizure and Arrests in the Case

On Saturday, the team had recovered injections worth Rs 70 lakh from a vehicle in DLF Phase 4. While investigating the matter, the team on Monday raided a flat in Sector 62, where injections were prepared by mixing water with raw drugs, officials said.

"Afterwards, all the packaging, barcode affixing and labelling were done in the same flat. The team also recovered packaging machines," they added.

Mujjamil, a deliveryman from DLF Phase 4, was initially arrested. Later, the main accused, Avi Sharma, was also taken into custody.

"Mujjamil is from Uttar Pradesh, while Avi is from Gurugram. The accused were preparing these injections in their flat, they said.

Ongoing Investigation and Health Risks

"A nationwide alert has been issued regarding the injections. Batch numbers have also been shared so that health department teams can remain vigilant and detect counterfeit injections.

"An investigation into the entire network is underway to determine where the fake injections were supplied and how many people are involved in this racket," said Chauhan.

Taking advantage of the growing demand for the drug, counterfeit injections are being introduced into the market, Rajesh Goyal, a chemist, said.

Such counterfeit injections can cause serious health problems, according to experts.

Under Indian law, manufacturing and selling counterfeit drugs can lead to charges related to fraud, adulteration, and endangering public health, potentially resulting in significant fines and imprisonment. The next stage of the investigation will likely involve tracing the supply chain and identifying other individuals involved in the manufacturing and distribution network. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) will likely be involved.

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