NEW YORK(TIP): On Sept 12, a complaint was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging eight defendants of Indian origin, Ezhil Sezhian Kamaldoss, Harpreet Singh, Parthiban Narayanasamy, Baljeet Singh, Deepak Manchanda, Gulab, Mukul Chugh and Vikas M. Verma with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance containing Tramadol, a synthetic opioid.  The defendants were arrested Sept 12 morning and made initial appearances before United States Magistrate Judge Lois Bloom.

Since approximately January 2018, law enforcement agents with FDA-OCI, USPIS, HSI, CBP, DEA, FBI and other agencies have been investigating the large-scale importation of misbranded controlled substances, including Tramadol, into the United States from India.  As part of the defendants’ scheme, distributors in India shipped misbranded Tramadol and other drugs to individuals and entities in the United States through the U.S. mail and other commercial couriers.  The defendants primarily operated out of a warehouse in Queens where they repackaged the pills and mailed them to customers throughout the United States.  The defendants maintained daily ledgers detailing the names, addresses, pill size and pill amounts ordered by customers.  During the course of the investigation, the defendants distributed millions of Tramadol pills.

Ezhil Sezhian Kamaldoss is also charged with money laundering.  If convicted, Ezhil Sezhian Kamaldoss faces up to 25 years’ imprisonment.  The remaining defendants each face up to five years’ imprisonment.