Factory producing fake medicines sealed in Karachi

KARACHI: Police officials raided a factory producing fake medicines in Karachi’s Saudabad area besides recovering counterfeit drugs worth millions, ARY News reported on Friday.

According to the police, a raid was conducted on a factory producing fake medicines in Saudabad area of Karachi. Four suspects have been arrested during the raid.

A large number of counterfeit drugs worth millions were recovered from the possession of the suspects. Police also confiscated mixture, material and other equipment which were being used to produce the counterfeit drugs.

The arrested men were allegedly running an illegal medicine company. It was learnt that fake medicines were being supplied to different medical stores in Malir, Saudabad, Korangi, Memon Goth and Quaidabad by the suspects.

DRAP, FIA crackdowns

The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) have fastened their country-wide crackdown on fake and unregistered medicine, conducting multiple raids, and recovering a significant amount of medicine.

According to the Health Ministry, DRAP and FIA conducted a raid in I8 Markaz Islamabad over a tip about a stock of unregistered and smuggled medicine. A heavy amount of prohibited medicine was recovered amid the raid, it added.

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The delivery office was sealed and cases were filed against the responsiles under the DRAP act, the Health Ministry said.

In another raid in Golra, one pharmacy was sealed for selling unregistered drugs while another for not able to present the warranty card of the medicine. The stock of both the pharmacies was confiscated by officials, they added.

The National Task Force and DRAP officials had also carried out a major raid at Peshawar’s Karkhano Market and seized unregistered medicines worth Rs35 million, whereas, 25 medical stores and pharmacies were sealed for selling unregistered drugs.

READ: FAKE MEDICINES WAREHOUSE SEALED IN ISLAMABAD

The authority’s spokesperson said that action will be taken against the responsible persons under DRAP Act for trading illegal drugs.

Moreover, the teams also raided medical stores and pharmacies located on Lehtrar Road – Islamabad and sealed the stocks of fake and illegal drugs.

The health ministry’s spokesperson said in a statement the federal drug inspector raided the office of foreign medicine importers in Lahore. The importers were allegedly selling the life-saving drugs at higher prices.

Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel said that they are determined to eliminate the sale of fake and unregistered medicine in the country. Officials would also launch a crackdown on pharmacies selling overpriced medicine, he added.

The health ministry would do everything in its power to maintain an uninterrupted supply of medicine to the public, Abdul Qadir Patel said.