Fake Remdesivir making unit busted in Gujarat, 7 held

The accused have been taking advantage of the shortage of Remdesivir.

Police seized over 60,000 empty vials, 30,000 fake stickers and over Rs 90 lakh cash.

The state government said that police have registered 23 FIRs in the last month and 57 persons have been arrested for black marketing.

The Gujarat police on Saturday busted a major duplicate Remdesivir manufacturing racket and arrested seven persons from three cities -- Morbi, Ahmedabad and Surat.

Police seized over 60,000 empty vials, 30,000 fake stickers and over Rs 90 lakh cash said to have been made by selling the fake injections in the last ten to fifteen days. The accused have been taking advantage of the shortage of Remdesivir, an anti-viral drug, which is being used in treating coronavirus cases.

The Morbi police got a tip-off about two men suspiciously selling fake Remdesivir injections in the black market at a higher price. Based on the specific information, the police apprehended Rahul Koteya and Raviraj Hirani, both residents of Morbi and found 41 fake injections and Rs 2.15 lakh cash, which they allegedly earned by selling the fake injections, from their possession.

Also read: Delhi Police to take strict action against those black marketing Covid-19 drugs, hoarding oxygen

In the interrogation, the duo told the cops that they had received the consignment of fake injection from persons residing at Juhapura in Ahmedabad.

The information led the Morbi police to Mohammed Ashim alias Ashif and Ramiz Kadri. With the assistance of the Ahmedabad Detection of Crime Branch, the police arrested both of them and recovered 1,170 injections and Rs 17.37 lakh cash from them.

Their interrogation took Morbi police investigators to a farmhouse in Surat district. With the help of Surat rural police, the Morbi police team apprehended Kaushal Vora, a resident of Surat, who is said to be the mastermind of the racket, and his accomplice Mumbai resident Punit Talal Shah.

"The accused had taken the farmhouse on rent and were involved in making duplicate injections for the past 10 to 15 days. It was like a mini-factory. We have seized 30,000 stickers of Remdesivir and over 60,000 empty vials," said Morbi district Superintendent of Police Subodh Odedra.

Also read: Covid-19 patients in Maharashtra develop side effects from Remdesivir

Meanwhile, the state government on Saturday said that police have registered 23 FIRs in the last month and 57 persons have been arrested for black marketing in the state. These cases have revealed that one injection, which costs Rs 899 in the market, is sold for up to Rs 30,000.