San Jose, California – A Sunnyvale man has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in an international prescription drug trafficking network that also ensnared a former top official of the San Jose Police Officers Association, according to newly released court records.
Rajiv Agnihotri, 44, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison on November 25 by U.S. District Judge Casey Pitts after pleading guilty to distributing large quantities of prescription medications imported from India. Prosecutors said the drugs moved through the same India-based online pharmacy network previously used by disgraced police union executive Joanne Segovia.
How the Drug Network Operated
Federal prosecutors described the operation as part of an Indian telemarketing and online pharmacy scheme known as Durgapura Pharmacy, which illegally sold prescription medications to customers in the United States without valid prescriptions.
According to court filings, the network shipped thousands of pills to the U.S. concealed inside packages falsely labeled as food and household products. During a 2022 investigation, agents intercepted boxes marked as “Indian sweet snacks,” “cookies,” “chocolates,” and “herbal toothpaste,” which in reality contained approximately 60,000 prescription pills.
Authorities said the drugs included commonly abused medications such as Ambien, Xanax, benzodiazepines, muscle relaxants, and opioids including Tapentadol and Tramadol.
Agnihotri’s Role in the Scheme
Prosecutors argued that Agnihotri knowingly participated by receiving the illicit packages and forwarding them to customers in the United States. Investigators identified five customers directly connected to him.
The government further alleged that Agnihotri used a fake driver’s license to obtain a post office box and later lied to investigators, initially claiming he had received only “poppy seeds” through the mail.
While prosecutors pushed for a substantial prison sentence, Agnihotri’s defense portrayed him as a low-level participant rather than a traditional drug trafficker.
Defense Claims and Sentencing Arguments
In sentencing filings, Assistant Federal Public Defender Varell Fuller argued that Agnihotri earned only about $20 per package and believed he was helping Americans access cheaper medications.
“His conduct reflects the broader problem of limited access to affordable medication rather than a conventional drug enterprise,” Fuller wrote.
The defense also highlighted Agnihotri’s personal history, stating he experienced severe childhood trauma in India, including political violence, domestic abuse, and a stabbing during a political dispute. The memo further noted that Agnihotri entered the United States from Mexico through what it described as a “deadly jungle corridor” before becoming involved in the scheme through a co-worker.
Despite these arguments, the court agreed with prosecutors that the volume and nature of the drugs warranted a multi-year prison sentence.
Comparison to the San Jose Police Union Case
The case drew attention due to its connection to Joanne Segovia, the former executive director of the San Jose Police Officers Association, who admitted using the same Indian pharmacy network.
Segovia pleaded guilty last year to importing controlled substances, including 17,400 doses of Tapentadol over a 17-month period between 2021 and 2022. Investigators said she once used the police union’s UPS account to ship an illicit package to a supplier in North Carolina.
Homeland Security Investigations agents later seized 283 Tapentadol pills from the police union’s headquarters and 73 pills from Segovia’s home.
Unlike Agnihotri, Segovia avoided prison and received three years of probation along with an order to complete 100 hours of community service. Her attorney argued that her actions were driven by addiction rather than profit, a claim noted in court filings.
Prosecutors Emphasize Public Safety Risks
Federal prosecutors stressed that the drugs distributed through the network posed serious public health risks due to lack of medical oversight, unknown dosages, and the potential for abuse.
They also emphasized that importing and distributing controlled substances without prescriptions undermines federal drug safety laws, regardless of whether defendants view their actions as financially motivated or altruistic.
Case Outcome and Broader Implications
With Agnihotri now headed to federal prison, the case highlights ongoing enforcement efforts against illegal online pharmacies and international drug trafficking operations. It also underscores how individuals across vastly different professional backgrounds can become entangled in the same criminal networks.
Federal authorities have not indicated whether additional arrests connected to the Durgapura Pharmacy network are forthcoming.
Share your thoughts on how illegal online drug networks impact public safety in the comments below.
