Clandestine Pharmaceutical Distributor in Virginia That Posed As Canadian Company Shuttered, 11 Indicted
11 people have been indicted in an $8.6 million prescription drug importation scheme operating out of Crystal City, Virginia. Called Gallant Pharma International, the business has been shuttered due to allegations that they were operating a prescription drug distribution business illegally and importing non-FDA approved drugs into United States. Once the drugs arrived in the U.S., they were then repackaged with labeling designed to make them seem genuine and FDA-approved. Both employees and owners of Gallant Pharma International have been indicted on 17 different charges ranging from importation of misbranded drugs into US commerce, to wire fraud, and unlicensed medical wholesaling. 11 of the indicted have been convicted or plead guilty including: Syed “Farhan” Huda, of Arlington, Virginia; Deeba Mallick, of Arlington, Virginia; Anoushirvan R. Sarraf, of Rockville, Maryland; Talib Khan, of Montreal, Canada, and Barbados; Harvey Whitehead, of Troy, Michigan; Lisa Coroniti, of Devon, Pennsylvania; and Robert J. Sparks, of Springfield, Virginia. Additionally, one person under indictment, Munajj Rochelle, is currently incarcerated in Montreal, Canada, on unrelated charges. There have been arrest warrants issued for the remaining three defendants, Patricia Durr, of Boynton Beach, Florida, Robert Wachna of Ottawa, Canada, and Mirwaiss Aminzada, of Montreal, Canada.
Who: Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA_OCI), Drug Enforcement Agency Group 33 Diversion Task Force, Department of Homeland Security Office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Arlington County Police Department.
When: May 9 2014, 2009-2013.
Where:Crystal City Virginia, U.S.A.
How: Investigation by The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigation.
Additional details: Gallant Pharma International posed as a Canadian pharmaceutical company shipping low-cost drugs from Canada to doctors. In actual fact they purchased their drugs from other foreign countries such as Turkey and India.
Related sources:
“ AUSA LINDSAY KELLY TELLS THE STORY OF GALLANT PHARMA PROSECUTION AT INTERCHANGE 2014 ,” Partnership for Safe Medicines, July 20, 12015.
“ More than 39 Unapproved Drugs Purchased from Gallant Pharmaceutical International or Gallant Medical International ,”
FDA Informational Page. April 1, 2015.
“ Illegal Drug Company Gallant Pharma and Co-Founder Sentenced ,” DEA Press Release. May 9, 2014.
“ Gallant Pharma Company And Co-Owner Plead Guilty To Sixteen Charges Of Prescription Drug Fraud,” U.S. Department of Justice Press Release. December 2, 2013.
“ Gallant Pharma Company and Co-Owner Plead Guilty to Sixteen Charges of Prescription Drug Fraud ,” FDA Press Release. December 2, 2013.
“Gallant Pharma Company And Co-Owner Plead Guilty To Sixteen Charges Of Prescription Drug Fraud ,” U.S. Department of Justice Press Release. December 2, 2013.
“ Members Of Illegal Drug Company Gallant Pharma Plead Guilty To Selling Misbranded Drug ,” U.S. Department of Justice Press Release. November 7, 2013.
“ Gallant Pharma International Indictment ,” United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. March, 27, 2013.
“ Eleven Charged In Alleged Illegal Pharmacological Import And Distribution Scheme ,” U.S. Department of Justice Press Release. August 7, 2013.
“ Several from D.C. area charged in scheme importing, selling illegal prescription drugs ,” Washington Post. August 7, 2013.
“ Arlington Residents Charged in Pharmaceutical Scheme,”ARLNow. August 7, 2013.
“ Seven arrests in Crystal City-based pharma case,”Fairfax News. August 8, 2013.