Leukemia patient Lu Yong borrowed the idea from the Oscar-winning film Dallas Buyers Club and smuggled unapproved, Indian-made drugs for himself and 1,000 others to get medicines at an affordable price.

Lu was detained by police in Yuanjiang, Hunan province, and his case of allegedly selling counterfeit drugs is still under investigation.

The 47-year-old textile businessman bought a month's supply of the Indian generic version of Gleevec, originally developed and manufactured by Swiss drug company Novartis, for around 200 yuan ($32).