562 prohibited health products worth RM1.44 mln seized in Melaka

MELAKA: The Melaka Health Department has seized 562 prohibited health products including unregistered traditional products and nonnotified cosmetics worth more than RM1.44 million from January up to August this year.

Melaka Health director Datuk Dr Ghazali Othman said the products were detected being sold illegally.

The products were not registered with the Ministry of Health.

“As many as 221 seizures were of unregistered and adulterated traditional products such as sexual stimulants, body slimming and painkillers worth more than RM1.25 million.

“While another 122 seizures comprised non-notified cosmetic products contaminated with hydroquinone, tretinoin and mercury worth RM108,021, while 219 more products were confiscated for other offences,” he said at a press conference in Ayer Keroh here yesterday.

He said all the cases were investigated under Regulation 7 (1) (a) and 18A of the Control of Drugs and Cosmetics Regulations 1984 made under the Drug Sale Act 1952 for offences under Regulation 30 (1), the same rules punishable under Section 12 (1) of the Drug Sale Act 1952.

“Upon conviction, those involved can be fined not more than RM25,000 or imprisonment for not more than three years or both for the first offence and a fine not exceeding RM50,000 or imprisonment not exceeding five years or both for the second offence,” he said.

In the meantime, he said the Melaka Health Department encourages the public to take advantage of the Pharmacy Melaka-Malaysia Enforcement ( PharMEL) Blacklist application launched through smartphones, whereby users can check the Meditag Hologram label and registration or notification number of the product to be purchased to ensure the authenticity of the ingredients contained in each product. — Bernama