An Anderson man has been charged with selling counterfeit Viagra pills.
On Wednesday, the Indiana Excise Police arrested Navedeep Singh, 22, on Level 6 felony charges of money laundering and conspiracy to commit dispensing a ‘Legend’ drug illegally.
He has been detained in the Madison County Jail on a $100,000 surety bond.
On Thursday, a co-defendant, Lakhwant Singh, was arrested in Indianapolis on the same charges and bond.
The investigators closed a convenience store owned by Lakhwant Singh at 1825 Meridian St. The Indiana State Excise Police, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the Madison County Drug Task Force conducted the investigation.
Madison County Prosecutor Rodney Cummings said that search warrants were served in Indianapolis and Anderson convenience stores, bank accounts, and residential units.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security found several workers in Indianapolis who did not have the proper identification.
Cummings said there was an investigation of possible human trafficking. When investigators asked employees to identify themselves, they did not answer and became “extremely nervous.”
Indiana State Excise Police investigator Alan Wombolt wrote, “Through training and experience I know the signs the employees were displaying are signs of labor/human trafficking.”
The investigation started in Anderson when fake Viagra pills were sold to undercover officers, according to Cummings. The officers also seized a total of $300,000 in cash.
Cummings said, “It appears money is being laundered. We’re reviewing the financial documents.” There is evidence that money was being shipped to India.
Cummings also said the stores also were not submitting proper sales tax receipts to the investigators.
The pills bought by undercover officers were found to be counterfeit when tested by the original Viagra manufacturer, Pfizer.
The officers believe that those fake Viagra pills were purchased online, which were coming from outside the United States. The fake medications contained writings in English as well as Hindi. It has also been found that the last controlled buy took place in November.
