US imposes visa curbs on 13 linked to India-based pharmacy over fentanyl pills

State Department says individuals are close associates of KS International Traders and its owner

WASHINGTON: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-May 13rd, 2026) The United States has announced visa restrictions on 13 individuals linked to India-based online pharmacy KS International Traders over allegations of selling counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl, the US State Department said on Tuesday.

The State Department said that the individuals are close associates of KS International Traders and its owner. The company, reportedly based in Mumbai, has been accused of generating revenue through the trafficking of fentanyl-linked counterfeit medicines.

Officials said fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid used for pain management, is heavily regulated in the United States due to its high potency and its association with a surge in overdose deaths linked to illicit consumption.

US State Department spokesperson Thomas Pigott said illicit fentanyl continues to pose a serious threat in the country, adding that those involved in supplying such substances would be barred from entering the United States.

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“Illicit fentanyl is killing too many Americans. Those complicit in poisoning Americans will be denied entry to the United States,” he said in a statement.

The department noted that KS International Traders had previously faced sanctions last year, along with two Indian nationals, over similar allegations involving counterfeit fentanyl-laced pills.

US officials alleged that the company distributed hundreds of thousands of fake prescription tablets containing illicit fentanyl in the United States, causing harm to families and communities across the country.

India’s foreign and health ministries have not yet responded to requests for comment. The company’s website, as listed in US government records, was not accessible at the time of reporting, and details of its senior management were not available.

The US government last year introduced a broader visa restriction policy aimed at curbing the flow of fentanyl and other illegal drugs into the country.