Two Indians sanctioned by U.S. for trafficking fentanyl, other illicit drugs

The United States Department of the Treasury on Wednesday (September 24, 2025) sanctioned two Indian nationals for their alleged role in supplying counterfeit prescription pills laced with fentanyl and other illicit drugs to victims across America. An India-based online pharmacy linked to the racket has also been designated.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) named Sadiq Abbas Habib Sayyed and Khizar Mohammad Iqbal Shaikh as key players in an international network that pushed “hundreds of thousands” of fake pills, marketed as legitimate medicines, into the U.S. market. The pills were found to contain fentanyl, fentanyl analogues and methamphetamine.

“Too many families have been torn apart by fentanyl. Today, we are acting to hold accountable those who profit from this poison,” said John K. Hurley, U.S. Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. He added that the Treasury would continue to pursue traffickers as part of Washington’s commitment to “Make America Fentanyl Free.”

The press release said that fentanyl has been identified as the leading driver of the U.S. opioid crisis, which has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans. The department claimed that opioid overdoses are the primary cause of death among Americans aged 18 to 45.

According to U.S. authorities, Mr. Sayyed and Mr. Shaikh worked with traffickers in the Dominican Republic and the U.S. to distribute counterfeit drugs. They used encrypted messaging platforms to promote their products as discounted pharmaceuticals. Both men had already been indicted in September 2024 by a federal grand jury in New York on narcotics-related charges.

Mr. Shaikh also owns KS International Traders, also known as KS Pharmacy, which the Treasury has designated for facilitating criminal operations. Despite being named in last year’s indictment, officials said Mr. Shaikh continued running the platform.

The U.S. Treasury highlighted the broader role of online suppliers — including several operating from India — in fuelling the fentanyl epidemic. These suppliers not only target American consumers but also provide precursor chemicals to Mexican cartels, which run clandestine laboratories for fentanyl production.

The action comes under the U.S.-India Drug Policy Framework, which seeks to strengthen cooperation between New Delhi and Washington on tackling global drug trafficking, improving public health, and securing supply chains.