Warning issued over illegal medicines after woman fined for selling pills from food shop

A WOMAN has been convicted of the sale and supply of illegal prescription medicines from her Eastern European convenience food store in Lisburn.

Eduarda Verygiene (43) received fines totalling £750 plus court costs at the city’s Magistrates Court yesterday.

She had pleaded guilty to three charges before the court in relation to the possession and sale of unauthorised, prescription-only and pharmacy medicines.

The court heard that the Department of Health’s Medicines Regulatory Group enforcement officers visited the Tonagh Drive shop in September 2016.

They seized over 3,000 tablets among a range of illegal medicines found on open sale.

The medicines seized were of Lithuanian and Russian origin and included those for the treatment of infection, digestive disorders and for pain relief.

Peter Moore, senior medicines enforcement officer with the Department of Health, said buying medicine from unregulated stores carried serious risk.

“Medicines are not everyday consumer goods, and appropriately, strict legal controls apply to their sale and supply.

“If you buy a medicine from unregulated high street sources like this, you may well be exposing yourself to a product that is unlicensed, fake or could react adversely with any other medication you may take. People should only take prescription medicines after an appropriate consultation with their GP or other healthcare professional and source them from a registered pharmacy.”

Professor Mike Mawhinney, head of the Medicines Regulatory Group, said the Department of Health would continue to clamp down on the illicit sale of medical drugs.

“This kind of illegal activity poses a significant risk to public health,” he said.

“The department will continue to be vigilant in the regulation of medicines and in maintaining public safety.

“To this end we will continue to conduct further inspections across Northern Ireland and take action where necessary.”