Illegal pharmacy busted in Mandaue
Unregistered beauty and health products worth over P10 million were confiscated from a drug store in Barangay Cambaro, Mandaue City last Monday.
The Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG), Regional Intelligence Division (RID), and the Regional Enforcement Unit - Food Drug Administration also confiscated raw materials and equipment.
Police Supt. Reynaldo Magdaluyo said they hatched the operation after more than a week of surveillance.
They found out that American Compounding Pharmacy Inc. has been manufacturing unregistered beauty and health products illegally.
RSOG operatives transacted with ACPI twice and bought different set of beauty products online, which the group used to apply for a search warrant from the Regional Trial Court in Mandaue City.
“Mayroon silang mini lab doon, compounding laboratory. Lahat iyun violation ng protocol. Iyung mga health products nila are unregistered talaga. Walang monitoring, walang quality assurance na ito ay fit for human consumption,” Magdaluyo said.
“Dapat ma-warningan natin ang publiko na hindi sila dapat basta-bastang bumili sa mga ganitong mga pharmaceutical company kasi talagang may danger…risk sa health sobra,” he said.
The police also found out that the company has been operating illegally for five years after it failed to renew its contract as a drug store.
“Originally, ang kanyang license lang is drugstore pero hindi na siya nag-renew mga five years ago pero patuloy pa din siya sa pagbebenta ng mga health products, vitamins at saka beauty products,” Magdaluyo said.
Overall, the company has been operating for more than 10 years.
Seized during the operation were several boxes of Glutathione powder for injection; several boxes of Vitamin C in powder form; BIO-C tablets; Immuno Factor tablets; additives/components for manufacturing injectable health products; raw materials used in manufacturing health products; packaging materials; labeling materials; equipment for manufacturing; computers; and transaction receipts.
The receipts reportedly indicate transactions costing millions.
ACPI owner, David Atkinson, was not around during the raid but the police arrested a certain Girlie Bariquatro, 27, a manager and member of the accounting staff.
She was arrested after she failed to show the police a license to operate.
Charges will be filed against Bariquatro, Atkinson, and the company’s directors and incorporators for violation of Section 11 of Republic Act 9711 or Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of 2009.
Magdaluyo said ACPI’s clients are doctors and medical practitioners in Cebu City and Manila. Bariquatro reportedly told them transactions were done online and they could earn up to more than a million in a day.
“Malawak ang kanyang operation. Imagine, doctors and medical practitioner here and in Manila. Dito sila kumukuha ng mga beauty at health products,” Magpaluyo said.
He said they have names of doctors and medical practitioners who have transacted with ACPI and the raid last Monday is but a start of a series of actions against drug stores and manufacturers in Central Visayas that are operating illegally.