Sept 29 (Reuters) – Two Indian nationals have been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly smuggling and selling counterfeit Ozempic, the Department of Justice said on Tuesday.
One of the defendants, Swapnadip Roy, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday after being extradited from Italy, the Justice Department said.
Between July 2023 and April 2024, Roy and Vicky Ramancha allegedly obtained counterfeit Ozempic from China and sold it to US distributors at discounted prices, the Justice Department said.
The counterfeit medication included packaging, inserts and labels allegedly meant to convince purchasers that they were receiving authentic Ozempic, the popular weight-loss drug that can cost hundreds of dollars per month for patients.
“The scheme continued even after the FDA seized some of the counterfeit Ozempic in December 2023 and issued a public warning regarding the products,” the Justice Department said.
Roy and Ramancha were charged with smuggling and selling counterfeit drugs, conspiracy to commit smuggling and to defraud the United States and face up to 71 years in prison if convicted.
(Reporting by Christian Martinez; Editing by Caitlin Webber)
