Subtle packaging colour mismatches and glaring typographical errors helped drugs control officials uncover a counterfeit Mounjaro injection racket operating out of a Gurugram flat, leading to the seizure of fake diabetes and weight-loss drugs worth ₹70 lakh.
Officials said the crackdown began after a raid on April 18, when fake Mounjaro (tirzepatide) injections were recovered from a vehicle in DLF Phase 4. The investigation later led authorities to an apartment in Gurugram’s Sector 62, where the injections were allegedly being manufactured by mixing water with raw drugs.
According to drugs control officer Amandeep Chauhan, officials compared the seized samples with original Mounjaro packaging and found several visible discrepancies. The counterfeit boxes had different shades of blue and red, while the printed material also contained obvious spelling and formatting mistakes.
"While both boxes have an illustration of an injection pen, it is clear and bright on the original one, but blurred, dark, and shorter on the fake version," Chauhan said, while adding that they are still waiting for the lab results of the seized samples.
Investigators first arrested Mujjamil, a deliveryman from DLF Phase 4. The alleged mastermind, Avi Sharma, was later taken into custody.
Officials said Sharma sourced raw materials from China through popular e-commerce platform Alibaba.
A senior official said the 32-year-old had turned to counterfeit drug production after failing to generate significant income from earlier business ventures.
Before launching the illegal operation, Sharma had worked at his father’s firm until 2016 after completing graduation. He later founded an Ayurvedic company, Hemped Souls International LLP, which sold natural oils.
"Avi Sharma wanted to scale up his income to at least Rs 2 crore a month. In greed of money, he started the illegal production of fake Mounjaro injections," the official said.
Meanwhile, US pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly, which manufactures Mounjaro, said it had taken note of the seizure.
"We have been made aware of a recent development in relation to the seizure of suspicious and counterfeit products that allegedly carry our product brand name Mounjaro (tirzepatide)...Lilly takes patient safety extremely seriously and welcomes regulatory authority's action against illicit medicines," said an Eli Lilly and Company spokesperson in India.
Eli Lilly launched Mounjaro in India in 2025 for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity. The injection quickly gained popularity and went on to become the highest-selling drug by value in the country.
