US sanctions Indian nationals Sadiq, Iqbal Shaikh for supplying fentanyl-laced pills: Hindu alias used, illicit drugs trade, and more — Here is what OpIndia found about the Company

On 24th September, the United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned two Indian nationals, Sadiq Abbas Habib Sayyed and Khizar Mohammad Iqbal Shaikh, for their involvement in supplying hundreds of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills laced with fentanyl and other illicit drugs. Furthermore, OFAC has also designated Shaikh’s India-based online pharmacy, KS International Traders, that operated under the name KS Pharmacy. Sadiq, according to September 2024 indictment, was using a Hindu name, Rakesh Sharma, as alias.

Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned two Indian nationals for their role in collectively supplying hundreds of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills filled with fentanyl and other illicit drugs to victims across the United States. Treasury is also…

— Treasury Department (@USTreasury) September 24, 2025

According to Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, John K Hurley, the action was part of the continuing effort of the US government to protect families in America from the fentanyl crisis. He said, “Too many families have been torn apart by fentanyl. Today, we are acting to hold accountable those who profit from this poison.”

Role of online pharmacies in global drug trade

The sanctions have highlighted the growing role of online pharmacies in worsening the synthetic opioid epidemic in the US. According to the sanctions document, entities like KS Pharmacy frequently pose as legitimate sellers of pharmaceutical products. However, in reality, they are trafficking counterfeit pills that are often laced with fentanyl or methamphetamine. Earlier, the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) had warned that unsuspecting buyers across the US are being misled into believing they are purchasing genuine medication such as Oxycodone, Adderall, or Xanax.

The sanctions highlight the growing role of online pharmacies, particularly those operating out of India, in fuelling the synthetic opioid epidemic. These entities frequently pose as legitimate sellers of pharmaceutical products but instead traffic in counterfeit pills often laced with fentanyl or methamphetamine. The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) had earlier warned that unsuspecting buyers across the United States are being misled into believing they are purchasing genuine medications such as Oxycodone, Adderall, or Xanax.

Operations of Sayyed and Shaikh

According to US authorities, both Sayyed and Shaikh collaborated with traffickers based in the United States and the Dominican Republic. They marketed counterfeit pills as discounted pharmaceuticals and used encrypted platforms to carry out transactions. Both were indicted in September 2024 by a federal grand jury in New York on narcotics-related charges.

Notably, the document suggested that Shaikh, the owner of KS International Traders, allegedly continued operating his online pharmacy despite being exposed in the Department of Justice indictment. OFAC noted that the company was being sanctioned for acting on behalf of Shaikh to further his criminal activity.

September 2024 indictment in New York

In September 2024, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York unsealed charges against 18 defendants for running a transnational network of fake online pharmacies distributing millions of fentanyl and methamphetamine pills. Among those named were Indian nationals Sadiq Abbas Habib Sayyed and Khizar Mohammad Iqbal Shaikh.

The indictment revealed that Sayyed operated under multiple aliases, including the Hindu name “Rakesh Sharma” and another identity, “Jonathan Acosta,” in order to conceal his origins and expand his reach in the illicit trade. Authorities alleged that the group, led by Dominican trafficker Francisco Alberto Lopez Reyes, sold counterfeit pills that resulted in multiple overdose deaths across the United States, including that of a 45-year-old army veteran. The investigation also exposed the industrial-scale “pill mills” in New York where drugs were pressed to resemble genuine pharmaceuticals, underscoring the global and sophisticated nature of the operation.

Sanctions implications

The designations mean that all property and interests belonging to Sayyed, Shaikh, and KS International Traders in the United States or controlled by US persons are blocked. Financial institutions and businesses have also been warned against engaging in transactions with them, as violations of sanctions carry civil or criminal penalties.

OpIndia investigation into KS International Traders

OpIndia has independently reviewed the sanctions documents and information on the pharmacy available online. Preliminary findings indicate that the company maintained a digital footprint portraying itself as a legitimate pharmaceutical supplier, while simultaneously being flagged in international monitoring reports.

Interestingly, there is a screenshot of the website operated under the name KS Pharmacy that has been pulled down. It is unclear if the website was brought down before sanctions were announced yesterday or earlier. However, OpIndia did find some of the archived pages of the website on the archive.org website which can be checked here. The screenshot below is similar to what has been included by the US authorities in the Sanction document.

As per the information available on the archived page, the product list of the company was long. They were selling tablets of Lorazepam, Diazepam, Clonazepam Nozim, Sildenafil Citrate Cobra, Xanax Alprazolam, Alprazolam, Alpcore, and Ativan Lorazepam. Injections included Imupeg, Boldarix, Fondaparinux Sodium, Testosterone Enanthate, and Testosterone Cypionate. Capsules included Fildena Sildenafil softgel, Terraform Nutrition Anti Anxiety and Stress Relief,, and Orlistat.

During the investigation, OpIndia found that there was a website named ksinternationalpharmacy.com where the duo were selling pharmaceuticals. The website is no longer operational and displays the error: “Forbidden. You don’t have permission to access/on this server.”

Though the WhoIs information of the website was hidden under privacy options, an interesting aspect came to notice. KS International was exposed in the US court in September 2024 for its involvement in the illegal trade of pharmaceuticals laced with opioids. However, this particular website was registered in December 2024, which solidifies the concern that Shaikh continued to operate his pharmaceutical business.

Upon reverse searching the GST number 27AAZFK8713F2ZQ, it was revealed that the GST number was issued on 27th June 2024, only three months before the US court verdict against the company.

There is an Indiamart page of the company KS International Traders that claims to deal in wooden products, furniture, etc. The company, according to the profile, was registered in 2023 and operates from Mumbai. GST partner names have been mentioned as Saba Aslam Mistry and Khizar Mohammad Iqbal Shaikh.

While the company claims to sell furniture on its Indiamart page, what is intriguing are the reviews of the products. While there is no way to confirm if the reviews were posted by actual customers or the company owners themselves, one thing is evident: they were in fact selling pharmaceutical products.

For instance, one “Steve” from the US wrote a review on 15th June 2025 for Alprazolam tablets and claimed that the product was of “quality,” the company is “trustworthy,” and delivery was “fast.”

Another customer, “Scott Robert Howard” from the US, said on 11th May 2025: “These guys are the best. If you want good fire bars, they have them all day. I highly recommend. I’ve dealt with 5 people on Indiamart, and these guys are the best by far. The bars are absolutely fire.” He also bought Alprazolam tablets.

Another customer, “Ronald Coleman,” bought Diazepam tablets. One customer, “Al Destefano,” bought Oxydolar. Another one, and “Daniel Wilson” bought Clonazepam.

Alprazolam, Diazepam and Clonazepam 

All three, Alprazolam, Diazepam and Clonazepam are benzodiazepine tablets that are used to treat anxiety, panic disorders, and anxiety linked to depression. It works by enhancing neurotransmitter activity in the brain. While considered safer than barbiturates, it carries risks of abuse, dependence, and overdose, especially when combined with alcohol, opioids, or other depressants. Overdose can cause respiratory depression, ataxia, or coma, though rarely fatal. Flumazenil may reverse intoxication but can trigger withdrawal in dependent patients. Diazepam is a Schedule IV controlled substance, requiring strict medical supervision for long-term use.

Oxydolar

Oxydolar is a brand name with Oxycodone as active ingrediant. It is a prescription opioid painkiller used for severe or long-term pain when standard painkillers fail. It is available as tablets, capsules, liquid, injections, and slow-release formulations for sustained relief. While effective, it carries a high risk of addiction, dependence, and overdose. Common side effects include nausea, constipation, and drowsiness. Grapefruit juice should be avoided as it intensifies side effects. Doctors may combine oxycodone with naloxone to reduce complications such as opioid-induced constipation.

There is one more website of the company ‘www.kttradersandservices.in’ [archived link] which lists only furniture products. However, it seems that the website pulls testimonies from IndiaMart as it shows same testimonies. This website is only 99 days old. The domain name says KT Traders but the website clearly says KS traders and the information matches the company that has been sanctioned.

Conclusion

The US Treasury’s sanctions are the latest in a string of coordinated international actions to counter the flow of synthetic opioids. With fentanyl overdose remaining the leading cause of death among Americans aged 18 to 45, the crackdown on online suppliers from India underlines the global nature of the crisis.