India’s booming weight-loss market fuels surge in counterfeit and unapproved drugs
Authorities in Haryana uncovered a network selling fake Mounjaro pens and unapproved retatrutide, exploiting the demand for expensive obesity medicines.
The investigation began when a Haryana drug officer noticed Mounjaro advertised at roughly 20% below its typical monthly price of ₹13,125 on IndiaMART. A meeting with a Gurugram vendor led police to a rented two-bedroom flat where they found multiple cartons of Mounjaro pens, syringes, mislabeled Eli Lilly branding and a refrigerator storing peptide vials. Businessman Avi Sharma was arrested in April, and laboratory analysis showed many seized pens contained only 30% or less of the declared tirzepatide concentration.
Investigators also recovered retatrutide, an investigational obesity drug not approved anywhere, which had been offered to doctors, wellness centres and beauty clinics in Mumbai. Listings for the unapproved drug appeared on IndiaMART and TradeIndia, highlighting how counterfeiters exploit India's extensive pharmaceutical supply chain and the growing appetite for cheaper alternatives to costly branded treatments.
Why it matters
Counterfeit and unapproved obesity drugs pose health risks and reveal gaps in regulation amid India's expanding weight-loss market.
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