More than 200 website domains linked to an India-based transnational criminal organization (TCO), which was operating in the US and allegedly behind at least six fatal and four non-fatal overdoses, have been seized, the country’s Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) said in a statement on Wednesday.
The drugs were sold without valid prescriptions and pushed into a controlled distribution system, the DEA said. (Unsplash/Representative Image)Four persons were arrested and five Immediate Suspension Orders (ISO) and one Order to Show Cause (OTSC) were issued.
Also Read | Engineering, pharma sectors welcome US tariff cuts’Operation Meltdown’: DEA Takes Out Illegal Pharmacies OnlineThe move was dubbed ‘Operation Meltdown’ by the DEA which observed that shut-down websites presented themselves as genuine, claimed to be based in the US and said they were FDA-approved.
However, investigations found that those running the sites were often linked to drug traffickers and filled online orders by supplying fake pills or other pharmaceutical drugs.
The drugs were sold without valid prescriptions and pushed into a controlled distribution system to protect patient safety, the DEA said.
During the investigation, the DEA identified thousands of customers who purchased drugs through these online pharmacies.
“The DEA has sent more than 20,000 letters to the public seeking information in support of this ongoing investigation,” it said in the release.
The DEA also said it works closely with law enforcement partners in the Government of India to identify, investigate and dismantle dangerous criminal groups involved in such illegal drug trafficking activities.
In the press release, DEA Administrator Terence Cole was quoted as saying, “This case shows how foreign-based traffickers exploit our health care system, hide behind the Internet and use it to move dangerous drugs under the guise of legitimate commerce within the United States.”
Also Read | Ajit Doval Marco Rubio tells India ‘will not be raped, will wait for Trump term’: ReportIllegal online pharmacies in USAThe agency said it released a public service announcement in 2024 to warn Americans about the growth of illegal online pharmacies.
It said many of these websites sold and distributed counterfeit pills containing fentanyl to customers across the United States. Customers believe that they are ordering the original drug from an authorized pharmacy.
The agency added that illegal online pharmacies often use US-based website addresses and “professional-looking designs” to appear credible. However, they operate outside the law and “deliberately deceive American consumers into believing they are legally purchasing safe, controlled drugs”.
