UNREGISTERED MEDICINES HAUL

RM200,000 worth of drugs from 10 premises in KL

THE Health Ministry’s Enforcement Division has seized 280 types of unregistered medicines estimated to be worth RM200,000 in raids on activities conducted by Bangladeshis on Aug 29.

Health Director-General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah yesterday said this followed an expose in a local daily on Aug 23 of a syndicate run by Bangladeshis selling unregistered medicines.

Investigations found 10 premises suspected to be selling the medicines to foreigners along Jalan Tun Tan Siew Sin (Jalan Silang) here, he said yesterday.

He said the medicines were suspected of containing “schedule poisons”, such as antibiotics (Cefuroxime), painkillers (Tramadol) and calming drugs (Diazepam).

The premises had been raided in 2016 and last year.

He said under the Pharmacy Programme Strategic Plan, Jalan Silang was one of 80 hotspot locations in the country where unregistered products were sold. The ministry was targeting to free these areas from these medicines by 2020.

He said the ministry conducted surveillance with the cooperation of the Customs Department to curb the sale of unregistered products.

Those guilty of selling unregistered medicines can be fined up to RM25,000 or jailed up to three years for the first offence and fined up to RM50,000 or jailed up to five years for repeat offences.

He advised the public to ensure that the products they bought complied with the law and were registered with the ministry.

The public can send their complaints and information on suspected unregistered medicine products to the ministry’s Pharmaceutical Services Division at http://www.pharmacy.gov.my, or at http://moh.spab.gov.my or call 03-78413200.