In a significant operation targeting the illegal trade of fake pharmaceuticals, Ghaziabad Police arrested five individuals for manufacturing and distributing counterfeit versions of Himalaya Wellness’s widely used liver supplement, Liv-52. The bust exposes a dangerous racket that has been supplying spurious drugs to multiple districts, putting public health at serious risk.
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How the Racket Was Uncovered
The investigation began when officials from Himalaya Wellness received credible information about fake Liv-52 tablets being sold in Aligarh. Further tracing revealed that the counterfeit products were being dispatched from an address in Muradnagar, Ghaziabad, via courier services.
Following a formal complaint lodged at Muradnagar police station, a raid was conducted on Sunday, leading to the arrest of the key suspects and the seizure of a large consignment of fake medicines.
Items Recovered During the Raid
Police recovered:
- 50,000 counterfeit Liv-52 tablets
- 500 printed wrappers
- 1,200 empty caps and containers
- One WagonR car used for transportation
The Accused and Their Roles
The five arrested individuals are:
- Mayank Aggarwal (41) – alleged mastermind of the operation
- Tushar Thakur (25) – paramedical student
- Akash Thakur (28)
- Nitin Tyagi (44) All four are residents of Ghaziabad.
- Anoop Garg (40) – resident of Delhi
According to police, the gang had been running this illegal manufacturing and distribution network for the past four months.
Supply Chain and Profit Model
The counterfeit tablets were supplied to chemists and medical shops across several districts, including:
- Aligarh
- Mathura
- Bijnor
- Agra
- Meerut
- Shamli
The production cost per box was kept extremely low — between ₹35 and ₹40 — while the fake boxes were sold to retailers for ₹110–115.
In contrast, the genuine Liv-52 box carries an MRP of over ₹200, allowing the gang to offer attractive margins to shopkeepers and undercut the original brand.
Legal Charges Filed
An FIR has been registered at Muradnagar police station under:
- BNS Sections
- 318(4) – Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property
- 336(3) – Forgery for the purpose of cheating
- 340(2) – Using as genuine a forged document
- 274 – Adulteration of food
- 276 – Adulteration of drugs
- Relevant provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act
- Relevant sections of the Copyright Act
The fake products were packaged and billed under the fictitious name NP Trading.
Ongoing Investigation
Police have constituted special teams to apprehend other absconding members of the gang whose names have surfaced during interrogation.
This case once again highlights the serious threat posed by counterfeit medicines — especially those imitating trusted Ayurvedic formulations like Liv-52, which millions rely on for liver health.
Authorities are urging citizens and retailers to purchase medicines only from verified sources and to immediately report any suspicious products.
Stay updated for further developments in this major counterfeit drug case.
