ALOR STAR – Police have smashed a syndicate processing unregistered medicines after seizing 325 bottles and 50 boxes of an assortment of pills and unlabelled capsules worth RM1.2 million in a raid on a factory in Jalan Kempas, Sungai Petani.
Kedah deputy police chief Datuk Roze Shaari said four local men, aged 20 to 24, were arrested in the raid at 11 am on December 24, jointly conducted with the pharmacy division enforcement team of the Kedah state health department.
“The operation was conducted following information from the public regarding suspected drug processing activities at an illegal factory believed to have been in operation for six months. Drug detection tests conducted on the medicines were negative.
“The factory did not have a manufacturing licence and Good Manufacturing Practices certificate from the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) to conduct sales,” he told reporters here today.
The seized products are suspected to contain banned substances and steroids and are believed for distribution in the local and export markets.
Roze said further investigations were being conducted to identify the syndicate’s network, and he urged those with information to contact the police.
He said the case was being investigated under the Poisons Act 1952 and the Sales of Drugs Act 1952.
“The public is advised to be wary and not to buy unlabelled medicines that have not been approved by the Health Ministry as they might be harmful,” he said. – Bernama, December 29, 2020
