Indian in US pleads guilty to running online drug racket

Image
Press Trust of India Washington
Last Updated : Jan 31 2016 | 12:42 PM IST
An Indian national has pleaded guilty in a US court on charges of running a multimillion- dollar illegal prescription drug operation over the internet.
Zuned Sunesra, 35, hailing from Mumbai, pleaded guilty to the three conspiracy charges before a District Court in Pennsylvania. Prosecutors have requested that he should not be released on fears he could flee the country.
Sunesra and his family operated a network of websites that from 2004 to 2014 were used to sell illegal prescription drugs to more than 40,000 customers around the world, including the US, prosecutors alleged.
The websites were used to sell India-made Viagra, Celebrex, Cymbalta and other drugs not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.
According to the Internal Revenue Service, the family's gross monthly sales were USD 400,000. They earned millions over the course of the scheme, prosecutors said.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Jan 31 2016 | 12:42 PM IST

Next Story