Kathmandu, June 27: In a major breakthrough, India’s Crime Branch investigating the sale of counterfeit cancer medication in New Delhi has discovered a Nepal connection in the racket.

According to a report by The Indian Express, officials from the Crime Branch found that a large consignment of fake cancer drugs had entered India via Kathmandu. During the investigation, they identified individuals in Nepal believed to be responsible for smuggling the drugs across the border. Indian police say they are currently tracking the suspects and expect arrests soon.

Meanwhile, officials from the Nepal Police have claimed they have no information on the matter. A senior official from Nepal’s Special Bureau, which deals with cross-border crime and terrorism, said, “We have had no coordination or communication on this issue.” An officer at the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal echoed the same, saying they were unaware of any such developments.

Indian police stated that the investigation, launched earlier this month after busting a fake medicine racket, revealed that a significant volume of counterfeit cancer drugs had been smuggled into India through Kathmandu. In the first week of June, Delhi Police arrested a gang involved in selling unregistered cancer drugs without official authorization. During questioning, the arrested individuals admitted the drugs had come from Nepal.

The prime accused, Naveen Arya, remains on the run. Indian authorities say Arya operated the Bhagirath Palace Cancer and Hepatitis Treatment Centre in Chandni Chowk, a major commercial hub in Delhi. Arya is no stranger to controversy — he had previously been arrested in a similar case and spent four to five months in jail before being released on bail. Investigators now say that after his release, Arya resumed his illegal operations, but this time rerouted the supply chain through Nepal.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Vikram Singh confirmed that forensic reports of the seized medicines had returned and all samples were found to be fake. “Our officers sent the recovered drugs for forensic testing, and we are now awaiting the detailed report,” Singh said.

The Crime Branch team investigating the case is led by DCP Singh and includes Assistant Commissioner of Police Yashpal, Inspector Ashish Sharma, Sub-Inspectors Prakash and Guman, and Assistant Sub-Inspector Sandeep Chaula.

According to police, Arya’s wife may also be linked to the racket. Investigators have found that her mobile phone was used to take online orders from patients, and her role in the operation is under scrutiny. The gang only dealt in cash transactions, making it difficult for police to trace the money trail.

“There are no official receipts. Arya would accept orders online and communicate via WhatsApp,” said DCP Singh. “Because of this, there is little digital evidence. We urge anyone who has bought such medicine online to come forward so we can uncover the entire network.”

He added that police are also reviewing files from other states to check if similar cases might be connected or show any pattern.

According to police, raids were conducted simultaneously in Laxmi Nagar, Buddha Vihar, and Chandni Chowk, leading to the arrest of six individuals. Fake cancer medicines worth millions were seized during the operation.

The gang reportedly used social media groups to target cancer patients, luring them with promises of discounts on expensive medicines. Two more individuals were later arrested on charges of trafficking fake medicines in the Delhi-NCR region.

During interrogation, the suspects confessed that the counterfeit drugs were smuggled into India through Kathmandu, officials said.

People's News Monitoring Services