Gang black marketing Actemra injection arrested in Lahore

LAHORE: An ARY News’ team exposed a gang in Lahore involved in black-marketing of Actemra injection which is being used for treatment of the coronavirus patients.

The sting operation conducted by ARY News’ team exposed a gang of six members, which was minting money by black-marketing Actemra injection.

AC Model Town and deputy drug controller conducted a raid on indication of the news channel team and arrested the gang involved in minting money by selling the life-saving injection at an exorbitant price.

The injection has a market price of 12000, which was being sold at staggering Rs. 2,50,000 to 6,00,000 rupees price.

The officials also recovered several vials of Actemra from possession of the gang.

“The gang in its modus operandi was contacting with family of a patient of coronavirus on Whatsapp and demand inflated price for the injection,” Assistant Commissioner Model Town Zeeshan Ranjha said. They were also taking money in advance and escape without delivering the medicine, the official further said.

Deputy Drug Controller Shaukat Wahab has vowed to end black-marketing of medicines in the city.

The Punjab government recently approved the use of Actemra, a life-saving drug, for treating critically ill Covid-19 patients in the wake of a sudden rise in the death rate reported by state-run hospitals across the province.

The 400mg injectable drug prescribed to patients who develop lung complications and other related issues.

Actemra injections, had reportedly given encouraging results in highly critical coronavirus patients.