Serving over 30 millions NRIs worldwide
Most trusted Name in the NRI media
We never stop working for you, NRI PEOPLE- OUR NETWORK
 
 
 
 

 

8 Indians Arrested for Distributing Millions of Opioid Pills in one year Imported from India
The opioids have been mis-labelled in India
If convicted, faces up to 25 years imprisonment

Los Angeles, Sep. 14, 2019
NRIpress.club/Ramesh/ A.Gary Singh

On Seep. 12, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York along with law enforcement agents with FDA-OCI,  USPIS, HSI, CBP, DEA, FBI and other agencies arrested eight Indians who live in New York City and surrounding areas. These agencies have been investigating the large-scale importation of misbranded controlled substances, including Tramadol, into the United States from India since January 2018.

A complaint was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging eight defendants with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance containing Tramadol, a synthetic opioid. .During the course of the investigation, the defendants distributed millions of Tramadol pills.  

Eight defendants Arrested:

  • Ezhil Sezhian Kamaldoss, Harpreet Singh, Parthiban Narayanasamy, Baljeet Singh, Deepak Manchanda, Gulab Gulab, Mukul Chugh and Vikas M. Verma

The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted, Ezhil Sezhian Kamaldoss faces up to 25 years’ imprisonment.  The remaining defendants each face up to five years’ imprisonment.
United States Attorney Donoghue said:

  • As part of the defendants’ scheme, distributors in India shipped misbranded Tramadol and other drugs to individuals and entities in the United States through the U.S. mail and other commercial couriers. 
  • The defendants primarily operated out of a warehouse in Queens where they repackaged the pills and mailed them to customers throughout the United States. 
  • The defendants maintained daily ledgers detailing the names, addresses, pill size and pill amounts ordered by customers participated in a black market for prescription medications by distributing millions of opioid pills in tens of thousands of transactions in one year alone.
  • This Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute those who profit from the suffering wrought by opioid distribution in the United States

Mr. Donoghue expressed his appreciation to the United States Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Maryland, the District of Massachusetts and the Southern District of Ohio for their assistance in the case.
FDA Special Agent-in-Charge McCormack said:

  • The illegal manufacture and distribution of opioids can result in overdoses and deaths, further fueling the national crisis
  • The FDA is committed to disrupting and dismantling illegal prescription drug distribution networks, including those that import unapproved drugs from overseas, and distribute those drugs with reckless disregard of the risk to public health.

“The importation of mislabeled drugs is both dangerous and illegal,” stated FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Wickerham. “It contributes to the ongoing opioid crisis in our nation and causes harm to our communities.”
USPIS Inspector-in-Charge Bartlett said:

  • Postal Inspectors are always at the forefront in protecting communities from the scourge of illegal drugs, no matter how they enter this country, and today’s arrests are a shining example of our commitment to keep the public safe.

HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Eisert said:

  • These individuals chose greed and profit at the cost of human lives. HSI is committed to investigating and ending these kinds of drug trafficking schemes to keep opioids off our streets

“American communities continue to be plagued by synthetic opioids, often at the hands of dealers like those accused in this investigation,” stated HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Fitzhugh.  “HSI is committed to aggressively targeting every level of the opioid supply chain, from the overseas vendors to the street-level dealers, in an effort to end this crisis.”

“This case serves as a great example of collaborative law enforcement efforts to combat international opioid trafficking conspirators.  U.S. Customs and Border Protection thanks our partners at FBI, FDA, USPIS, HSI and DEA for their continued cooperation,” stated CBP Director of Field Operations Miller.

DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Boyle said:

  • DEA is addressing the threat of opioids, both internationally and domestically. 
  •  We prioritize our resources by identifying and targeting the world’s biggest and most powerful drug traffickers and their organizations
  • The diversion of prescription pain killers contribute to the widespread abuse of opioids which is a gateway to addiction and is devastating our communities.  DEA will continue to collaborate with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who are fueling this epidemic.”