More than 200 website domains linked to an India-based transnational criminal organisation (TCO) working within the United States and allegedly responsible for at least six fatal and four non-fatal overdoses, have been seized by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, along with the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
The TCO linked to these illegal online pharmacies have been under investigation by DEA’s Rocky Mountain Field Division since 2022, a note from the DEA said.
“Leveraging its global reach, DEA actively collaborates with our Government of India law enforcement partners to identify, investigate and dismantle dangerous criminal organisations that engage in these types of illegal drug trafficking operations,” it said. Through joint operations, the DEA will continue to pursue enforcement actions against illicit pharmaceutical distributors at the source, to disrupt the flow of illicit pharmaceuticals that threaten public health and safety, it added.
In December 2024, the DEA issued a public service warning to Americans about an increase in illegal online pharmacies. Many of these online pharmacies sold and shipped counterfeit pills made with fentanyl to unsuspecting customers in the US who believed they were purchasing legitimate medications from legitimate pharmacies, the DEA said.
Illegal online pharmacies often use US-based website addresses and professional-looking designs to appear legitimate when, in fact, they are not, the agency said, adding that these companies “operate illegally, deliberately deceiving American customers into believing they are legally purchasing safe, regulated medications.”
Many sites taken down as part of “Operation Meltdown” claimed to be legitimate, based in the US and FDA-approved, but DEA’s investigation determined operators of these sites were often working with drug traffickers to fulfil online orders with counterfeit pills or diverted pharmaceuticals, the agency said. “These counterfeit medications are often made with fentanyl or methamphetamine and taking them can lead to serious health risks, including harmful side effects, ineffective treatment and even death,” it added.
Multiple ops
Starting late January 2026, DEA field offices throughout the US conducted multiple operations leading to the arrest of four individuals along with the issuance of five Immediate Suspension Orders (ISO) and one Order to Show Cause (OTSC), both of which are administrative actions taken against DEA registrants in order to protect the public from dangers to public health or safety, the note said. This was in addition to the US government shutting down “more than 200 online pharmacies accused of filling hundreds of thousands of orders of diverted pharmaceuticals and counterfeit pills without valid prescriptions,” it added.
Under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), DEA regulates the handling, storage and distribution of controlled substances in the custody of pharmacies. Pharmacies are only authorised to dispense controlled substances upon receipt of a valid prescription, issued for a legitimate medical purpose, by an individual practitioner acting in the usual course of his or her professional practice, the note explained.
“Investigators determined the operators of these online pharmacies and their co-conspirators were illegally dispensing and shipping diverted medications, without valid prescriptions, to customers throughout the United States, violating the CSA and dangerously infiltrating a closed system of distribution intended to keep patients safe,” it said.
The DEA also identified thousands of customers who purchased medication through these online pharmacies, and sent 20,000 letters to the public for information to support the ongoing investigation.
DEA Administrator Terrance Cole said, “Illegal online pharmacies put poison in American communities. They sell counterfeit and unapproved pills and do not care who gets hurt or who dies. Actions like this save lives. …If you run these sites, supply them, move the money, ship the product or help them operate, we will find you, we will dismantle your operations and we will hold you fully accountable under US law.”
Published on February 5, 2026
