Two Indian Nationals Charged in U.S. for Drug Smuggling

Two Indian nationals, Swapnadip Roy, 33, and Vicky Ramancha, 37, have been charged by a federal grand jury in the Middle District of Florida with conspiracy and smuggling in connection with an alleged transnational counterfeit prescription drug distribution scheme. The charges, announced by the U. S.

Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and the Criminal Division of the U. S. Department of Justice, relate to the smuggling of counterfeit Ozempic, a prescription drug, into the United States.

According to the indictment, Roy and Ramancha, along with their co-conspirators, allegedly obtained counterfeit Ozempic from unauthorized sources in China. They then sold these counterfeit drugs to distributors in the U. S.

at significantly reduced prices. The counterfeit products included fake packaging, package inserts, pen labels, and needles designed to deceive customers into believing they were purchasing authentic Ozempic authorized by the manufacturer.

The alleged scheme reportedly continued from at least July 2023 to April 2024, even after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized some of the counterfeit Ozempic in December 2023 and issued a public warning about the products. Despite these actions, Roy, Ramancha, and their co-conspirators allegedly persisted in distributing the counterfeit drugs.

Roy was extradited from Italy to the United States and made his initial court appearance in Tampa, Florida. Both Roy and Ramancha face multiple charges, including one count of conspiracy to commit smuggling and defraud the United States, three counts of smuggling, and two counts of selling counterfeit drugs and holding counterfeit drugs for sale. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 71 years in prison.

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division emphasized the threat posed by counterfeit prescription drugs, stating, "These defendants allegedly exploited people’s health to pay themselves. We will keep pursuing anyone who seeks to deceive American consumers with counterfeit drugs."

The FDA's Office of Criminal Investigations played a significant role in the investigation. Acting FDA Commissioner of Food and Drugs, Kyle Diamantas, J.D., highlighted the public health risks associated with counterfeit drugs, noting that "infiltrating the American drug supply with counterfeit products isn’t just a crime — it’s also a direct threat to public health and patient safety."

The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Peter Leininger of the Criminal Division’s Health & Safety Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Roberts for the Middle District of Florida. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs secured Roy’s detention following his arrest under an INTERPOL Red Notice and facilitated his extradition from Italy.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.