Fake Liv.52 Racket Busted In Ghaziabad: Spurious Drug Ring Exploited High Margins

In a major crackdown on the pharmaceutical black market, the Ghaziabad police on Sunday, February 8, 2026, announced they had busted a sophisticated counterfeit medicine racket. The operation targeted the manufacturing and distribution of spurious Liv.52 DS tablets—one of India’s most popular liver care formulations—following a formal complaint from the Himalaya Wellness Company.

The investigation, led by the Muradnagar police and the SWAT unit, revealed a two-state manufacturing network designed to undercut the original brand by offering retailers massive profit margins.

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1. Modus Operandi: The Anatomy of the Scam

The racket functioned as a lean, cross-border production line to minimize costs and evade detection.

• Two-State Manufacturing: During interrogation, the suspects admitted that the fake tablets were manufactured at a facility in Haryana, while the specialized packaging—including identical-looking boxes and foil wrappers—was printed in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.
• Price Undercutting: The gang’s primary weapon was the “margin game.”
  • Cost to Produce: ₹35 – ₹40 per box.
  • Supply Price to Retailers: ₹110 – ₹115 per box.
  • Original Liv.52 MRP: ₹280 per box.
• Distribution: The fake goods were primarily supplied from Muradnagar and distributed to unsuspecting chemists in Aligarh and surrounding districts.

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2. The Investigation Timeline (2026)

DCP (Rural) Surendra Nath Tewari shared that the breakthrough came after technical surveillance traced the “paper trail” of a local supply firm.

• January 3: Himalaya Wellness Company files an FIR after irregularities are detected in Liv.52 DS tablets sold at local medical stores.
• January 10: Initial raids at NP Trading Company in Muradnagar reveal the firm was using forged drug licenses and fake GST details.
• February 7-8: SWAT teams conduct a series of raids, recovering a massive haul of 50,000 counterfeit tablets and arresting key members of the syndicate.

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3. Counterfeit vs. Genuine: Consumer Alert

Feature	Counterfeit Liv.52	Genuine Himalaya Liv.52
Manufacturing Cost	₹35 (Estimated)	High-standard pharmaceutical grade
MRP / Price	Sold far below ₹280	Strict ₹280 (Standard MRP)
Health Risks	No active ingredients; potential toxins	Verified herbal formulation
Packaging	Sourced from Meerut (lookalikes)	High-security holographic packaging

4. Legal Action & Next Steps

DCP Tewari confirmed that the arrested individuals have been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

• SWAT involvement: The SWAT team is currently analyzing mobile data to identify the “kingpin” behind the Haryana manufacturing unit.
• Public Warning: Police have advised all chemists and distributors to verify their stock sources and report any supplier offering Liv.52 at “unbelievable” wholesale rates.