Factory producing counterfeit drugs busted

Large stock of medicines worth millions of rupees seized

BHAKKAR:

The Drug Task Force raided a clandestine factory of counterfeit drugs in Multan.

According to officials, the factory was involved in supplying the drugs across the country and a large stock of medicines worth millions of rupees was seized. With the association of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the task force arrested two suspects, Rizwan and Sajjad.

Drug Task Force Bhakkar revealed the counterfeit medicines, worth millions of rupees, were prepared daily with heavy equipment. The seized stockpile includes thousands of tablets, capsules, drops and syrups used in various life-saving drugs These counterfeit drugs are used in antibiotics, maternal and child health, vitamin D and gastrointestinal diseases.

The accused had set up unregistered companies.

A large-scale operation was launched against the group. Upon suspicion of drugs being supplied in Bhakkar, samples were sent to a laboratory for testing. When all samples proved to be counterfeit from the laboratory in Rawalpindi, action was taken. A secret warehouse was raided, seizing a stockpile of counterfeit drugs. Drug Controller Bhakkar Shafiq Bhatti, Drug Inspectors Imran Ahmed Khan, Samiul Haq and Fida Muhammad were part of the raid team. The operation was carried out in Bosan Colony, Multan.

While talking to The Express Tribune, members of the task force said they were conducting a routine check when a sample of suspicious life-saving drugs was seized from a medical store and sent to the laboratory. After a few days, when the results came, those medicines were proven to be fake, on which an emergency meeting was called and Drug Task Force Bhakkar immediately started extensive investigation. They said the task force reached Multan to trace the suspects and the services of the FIA were obtained.

Contact was made with the suspects who used to supply the fake medicines and the drugs were purchased by FIA undercover operatives. Once the drugs were obtained, the supplier was arrested and the secret warehouse was raided. Large amounts of counterfeit medicines were recovered from the warehouse. The two suspects arrested revealed that they had the capacity to supply the drugs across the country. The FIA has taken both the accused into custody, while the Drug Task Force Multan has been updated with the situation.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 9^th, 2024.