Federal efforts to protect the drug supply chain continue to bear fruit, with the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations announcing criminal charges for another counterfeit operation.

Junaid Qadir was arraigned in U.S. District Court in Denver on an eight-count indictment for using his family’s import business — JNS Impex — to sneak large quantities of counterfeit and unapproved drugs past U.S. Customs and Border Control and distribute them in the U.S.

Qadir was charged with introducing unapproved drugs into interstate commerce, introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, selling counterfeit drugs, importing controlled substances, distributing controlled substances, importing merchandise contrary to law, conspiracy to defraud the U.S., conspiracy to import controlled substances and possession to distribute controlled substances with intent to distribute.

A conviction on each charge carries a penalty of up to three years in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to the Justice Department.

Read the updated indictment here: www.fdanews.com/02-03-16-Indictment.pdf.