Mumbai | December 5, 2025: In a major crackdown on cyber-enabled pharmaceutical fraud, the Mumbai Crime Branch has busted a fake international call centre allegedly involved in selling counterfeit and controlled medicines including Viagra to unsuspecting US nationals. The operation led to the arrest of eight individuals, while the key mastermind and two associates remain absconding.
According to officials from Crime Branch Unit 9, the illegal call centre was operating out of a commercial complex in Kevnipada, S.V. Road, Amboli, Jogeshwari (West). Investigations suggest that the syndicate had been active for the past six to seven months, fraudulently posing as representatives of reputed US-based pharmaceutical firms and duping customers using stolen personal data.
Foreign data exploited to sell fake drugs in the US
The accused reportedly impersonated customer support executives of legitimate pharma companies and convinced American citizens to purchase medicines at discounted rates. They promised direct doorstep delivery of the drugs, which were either counterfeit or never shipped at all. Payments were collected via fake websites and emails designed to mimic authentic pharmaceutical portals.
Police identified the arrested accused as Mohammad Aamir Iqbal Shaikh (40), Mahir Iqbal Patel (26), Mohammad Shabib Mohammad Khalil Shaikh (26), Mohammad Ayaz Parvez Shaikh (26), Adam Ehsanullah Shaikh (32), Aryan Mushaffir Qureshi (19), Amaan Aziz Ahmed Shaikh (19), and Hashmat Jamil Jariwala (29).
The main accused, Muzaffar Shaikh (43), along with his aide Aamir Maniyar and others, are currently on the run. A manhunt has been launched to trace their whereabouts.
Laptops, digital devices seized for forensic analysis
During the raid, police recovered several laptops, hard drives, headsets, pen drives, and other digital devices suspected to have been used for telemarketing and fraudulent transactions. These items have been sent for forensic examination to determine the scale of the scam, the number of victims, and the total value of funds siphoned off through illegal means. A senior Crime Branch officer said,
“We received credible intelligence inputs indicating that a group was duping foreign nationals under the pretext of selling restricted medicines. Upon verification, we found that an entire racket was being operated through a fake call centre. Substantial digital evidence has been recovered, and efforts are underway to apprehend the absconding accused.”
Focus shifts to illegal foreign financial routes
Investigators are also probing whether the proceeds of the scam were routed through underground financial networks, including cryptocurrency and money transfer apps, to evade detection. Preliminary findings point to several international transactions that may have violated foreign exchange and anti-money laundering laws. If proven, officials said, the case could also attract charges under money laundering and cross-border financial crime provisions.
Court remands accused to police custody till December 10
All arrested accused were produced before the Esplanade Court on Thursday, which remanded them to police custody till December 10. The police will now examine call recordings, email exchanges, and bank accounts linked to the suspects to track the flow of funds and the chain of data procurement.
Officials believe the syndicate had a wider network involving data suppliers and international collaborators. More arrests are expected as digital forensics experts analyze the seized devices and trace the communication patterns.
