Highlights:
-
Two Indian nationals, Sadiq Abbas Habib Sayyed and Khizar Mohammad Iqbal Shaikh, sanctioned for selling fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills.
-
KS International Traders (KS Pharmacy) also sanctioned.
-
Both men were indicted by a federal grand jury in Southern District of New York in September 2024.
-
US sanctions freeze their assets and bar Americans from doing business with them.
- Advertisement - -
Part of President Trump’s campaign to combat fentanyl.
The United States has sanctioned two Indian nationals for allegedly operating online pharmacies that sold fake prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine to customers in the US.
The Treasury Department identified the men as Sadiq Abbas Habib Sayyed, 39, and Khizar Mohammad Iqbal Shaikh, 34. Officials said the two supplied “hundreds of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills filled with fentanyl and other illicit drugs” across the country.
The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) also sanctioned KS International Traders, also known as KS Pharmacy, an India-based online pharmacy owned by Shaikh, citing its involvement in the illegal operations.
US Authorities’ Statement
According to the Treasury, Sayyed and Shaikh coordinated with traffickers in the Dominican Republic and the US to distribute counterfeit pills. They used encrypted messaging platforms to promote these pills as legitimate, discounted medicines. The pills, however, contained fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, and methamphetamine.
Officials noted that both men were indicted by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of New York in September 2024. Despite the indictment, Shaikh “continues to operate KS International Traders,” the statement said.
What the Sanctions Mean
The sanctions freeze any property or assets the two men hold in the US. In addition, all American individuals and businesses are prohibited from doing business with them. Violations of this order could result in civil or criminal penalties.
US Crackdown on Fentanyl
President Trump has made combating fentanyl a central focus of his second term, aiming to “disrupt the supply chain from tooth to tail” and hold source countries accountable.
“Too many families have been torn apart by fentanyl. Today, we are acting to hold accountable those who profit from this poison,” said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley.
“Treasury will continue to advance President (Donald) Trump’s commitment to Make America Fentanyl Free by targeting drug traffickers.”
