The United States Department of the Treasury on Wednesday sanctioned two Indian nationals for their alleged involvement in supplying counterfeit prescription pills laced with fentanyl and other illicit drugs to victims across the U.S. An India-based online pharmacy linked to the network has also been designated.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) identified Sadiq Abbas Habib Sayyed and Khizar Mohammad Iqbal Shaikh as key figures in an international operation that distributed “hundreds of thousands” of fake pills, marketed as legitimate medicines, in the United States.
The pills reportedly contained fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, and methamphetamine.
“Too many families have been torn apart by fentanyl. Today, we are acting to hold accountable those who profit from this poison,” said John K. Hurley, U.S. Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.
He added that the Treasury would continue pursuing traffickers as part of Washington’s commitment to “Make America Fentanyl Free.”
Fentanyl has been identified as the leading driver of the U.S. opioid crisis, which has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. The department noted that opioid overdoses are the primary cause of death among Americans aged 18 to 45.
According to U.S. authorities, Sayyed and Shaikh collaborated with traffickers in the Dominican Republic and the U.S. to distribute counterfeit drugs.
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They allegedly used encrypted messaging platforms to promote their products as discounted pharmaceuticals. Both men had already been indicted in September 2024 by a federal grand jury in New York on narcotics-related charges.
Shaikh also owns KS International Traders, also known as KS Pharmacy, which the Treasury has designated for facilitating criminal operations. Despite being named in last year’s indictment, officials said Shaikh continued operating the platform.
The U.S. Treasury highlighted the broader role of online suppliers, including several based in India, in fuelling the fentanyl epidemic. These suppliers not only target American consumers but also provide precursor chemicals to Mexican cartels, which operate clandestine fentanyl laboratories.
The sanctions are part of the U.S.-India Drug Policy Framework, which aims to enhance cooperation between New Delhi and Washington in combating global drug trafficking, improving public health, and securing supply chains.
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