Many of the alleged fake medicine brands seized were those which ran in short supply in drugstores in Laguna province last January.
Amid the recent shortages of certain brands of medicines, authorities have warned of opportunistic persons flooding the market with fake medicines in Laguna province.
Police in Bay, Laguna said they have busted two alleged large-scale distributors of counterfeit prescription medicines in the province in a buy-bust operation Wednesday (February 2).
Bay Municipal Police Station OIC P/Major Jameson Aguilar identified the suspects as Johnell Onieza Lilia, 37 years old; and Jerim Grace Perez, 29 years old; both residents of Barangay San Antonio, Bay, Laguna.
According to a report filed by Aguilar, the two suspects were arrested after selling a police officer who posed as a buyer two boxes of Bioflu and one box of ibuprofen paracetamol.
Among the alleged counterfeit medicines seized during the operation include prescription and over-the-counter drugs such as Decolgen Forte, Neozep Forte, Bioflu, Tuseran Forte, loperamide, mefenamic acid, and other pain relievers.
Many of these brands ran in short supply in drugstores in Laguna province last January due to a surge not only of Covid-19 cases but also of health conditions associated with cold weather, such as common colds.
Aguilar added that the suspects failed to present any document to prove that they are authorized to sell and deliver pharmaceutical products.
The boxes of medicine confiscated during the operation will be brought to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) headquarters in Muntinlupa City to determine whether or not they were counterfeits.
“Hindi natin papayagan ang pagsasamantala ng mga iligal na nagbebenta ng hinihinalang pekeng gamot, lalo na ngayong panahon ng pandemya. Kaagapay ninyo ang buong pwersa ng Pulis Laguna upang siguraduhin na hindi makakalusot ang mga ganitong uri ng iligal na gawain na maaaring magdulot ng kapahamakan sa ating kalusugan," Laguna Police Provincial Office (LPPO) director PCOL Rogarth Campo said.
Tags: #OpinYonLaguna, #BayLaguna, #fakemedicines, #PhilippineNationalPolice