US sanctions 2 Indians for supplying counterfeit fentanyl-laced pills

The US treasury department has sanctioned two Indians and an online pharmacy for selling counterfeit fentanyl-laced pills, blocking their assets and warning of tough action on drug traffickers

The US Department of the Treasury on Wednesday imposed sanctions on two Indian nationals and an India-based online pharmacy for supplying large quantities of counterfeit prescription pills laced with fentanyl and other illegal drugs to American consumers.

 

The two individuals named in the sanctions are Sadiq Abbas Habib Sayyed and Khizar Mohammad Iqbal Shaikh, the department said in a statement.

 

“Sayyed and Shaikh marketed and sold these pills as discounted, legitimate pharmaceutical products, which were instead filled with illicit drugs like fentanyl, a fentanyl analogue, and methamphetamine," the department said.

 

It added that the two men used encrypted messaging apps to promote and sell the drugs. They had already been indicted in September 2024 by a federal grand jury in New York on narcotics-related charges.

 

John K Hurley, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said the move was part of a larger effort to tackle America’s fentanyl crisis.

 

“Too many families have been torn apart by fentanyl. Today, we are acting to hold accountable those who profit from this poison. Treasury will continue to advance President Trump’s commitment to Make America Fentanyl Free by targeting drug traffickers," Hurley said.   

 

Assets blocked under US law

 

As a result of the sanctions, all property and financial interests linked to Sayyed, Shaikh, or their entities in the United States are now blocked. Any transactions involving these assets by US citizens or businesses are prohibited unless specifically authorised.

 

The Treasury also said that any companies owned 50 percent or more by the sanctioned individuals would automatically be considered blocked.

 

US revokes visas of Indian executives

 

Last week, the US Embassy in India announced that it had revoked and denied visas for several Indian business executives and corporate leaders accused of involvement in trafficking fentanyl precursors. The embassy cited provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act while taking this action.

 

This decision came after President Trump included India, along with 22 other nations, in a list of “major drug transit or illicit drug-producing countries”. In a statement to Congress, Trump warned that the production and movement of narcotics and precursor chemicals from these countries threatened the safety of Americans.   

 

Fentanyl crisis in the US

 

Fentanyl has become the single largest cause of drug overdose deaths in the US, with an estimated 450,000 lives lost over the past decade.

 

The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) states that fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine. While effective as a pain reliever, its high potency also makes it extremely lethal in cases of misuse or overdose.