Swapandip Roy Extradited from Italy, Faces 71-Year Jail for Smuggling Counterfeit Ozempic

The federal grand jury in the Middle District of Florida indicted Swapandip Roy and Vicky Ramancha on charges of smuggling and selling counterfeit Ozempic, a diabetes and weight‑loss drug, after they allegedly sourced the fake medication from China between July 2023 and April 2024. The counterfeit pills were wrapped in authentic‑looking packaging and sold to US distributors at a discount, according to court documents that also detail how the pair exploited the supply chain to mislead buyers. The scheme continued even after the FDA seized a batch of the counterfeit Ozempic in December 2023 and issued a warning to the public.

A Tysen Duva, Assistant Attorney General of the DOJ’s Criminal Division, said the defendants “threaten the health and safety of every American who depends on the integrity of our pharmaceutical supply.”

The indictment further alleges that Roy and Ramancha conspired to smuggle the drugs into the United States, defraud the federal government, and profit from the sales. Their actions could have exposed thousands of patients to ineffective or harmful medication.

Roy was extradited from Italy after an INTERPOL Red Notice was issued, and he pleaded not guilty during his first appearance in a Tampa courtroom. Ramancha, who remains at large, has not been arrested to date.

Christopher Murray, Assistant US Attorney for the Middle District of Florida, said the case will be pursued aggressively, while Justin Green of the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations warned that counterfeit drugs “do not begin or end at the US border.” The indictment now sits in federal court, where a trial will decide whether the two men receive the maximum 71‑year sentence.