Particle.news

Operation Meltdown Shuts Down 200+ Illegal Pharmacy Sites Linked to India-Based Network

Investigators link the sites to fentanyl-laced counterfeits, prompting continued U.S.–India cooperation.

Overview

  • Coordinated DEA actions beginning January 27 led to four arrests along with five Immediate Suspension Orders and one Order to Show Cause.
  • Agents say the network processed hundreds of thousands of orders for diverted and counterfeit drugs without valid prescriptions in violation of the Controlled Substances Act.
  • The DEA has linked the operation to at least six fatal and four non-fatal overdoses in the United States.
  • Investigators identified thousands of purchasers and have mailed more than 20,000 letters seeking information to support the ongoing probe.
  • Many seized sites posed as U.S.-based, FDA-approved pharmacies using professional designs, and counterfeit pills were often made with fentanyl or methamphetamine.