Acting on a tip-off, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) and local police in a joint operation busted a gang involved in black marketing of Remdesivir COVIFOR, used in the treatment of COVID-19 patients. The STF and police also arrested three men during the operation.
According to details available, the STF and the local police had received inputs from Lucknow-based Military Intelligence (MI) unit about suspicious movement of black marketeers. According, cops laid a trap and nabbed the three accused red handed in Kidwai Nagar area of the city. The arrested men have been identified as Sachin Kumar, Mohan Soni and Prashant Shukla. Police said that they are being interrogated to trace their further links.
A total of 265 vials have been recovered from the arrested men who were selling the drug for Rs 4,000, thus making an earning of more than Rs 10 lakhs.
Sources said that COVID-19 medicine Remdevisir (COVIFOR), used for making COVID vaccine, is being sold by black marketeers for higher prices amid skyrocketing demand of the drug. The availability of COVID-19 medicine is very high in market owing to the increase in COVID cases pan-India.
ALSO READ: Remdesivir production to be ramped up to 78 lakh, prices to be cut: Govt
Earlier this week, officials of the MI unit while working on inputs related to a suspicious group, learned that COVID-19 medicine Remdevisir is being sold in black by some individuals.
Yesterday, a medical shop owner and two others were arrested by the Madhya Pradesh police's Special Task Force (STF) for allegedly black marketing Remdesivir injections. The arrested persons were identified as Rajesh Patidar, Gyaneshwar Baraskar and Anurag Singh Sisodia.
Amid the sudden surge in COVID-19 cases across the country, several states have witnessed a shortage of the anti-viral drug Remdesivir. The centre is taking various steps to ensure easy access of Remdesivir to patients and hospitals and for that matter, it has prohibited exports of Remdesivir injection and Remdesivir active pharmaceutical ingredients till the COVID situation in the country improves.
ALSO READ | Covid-19 Scare: UP gets 25,000 vials of Remdesivir airlifted from Gujarat's Ahmedabad
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