NBI seizes counterfeit Chinese drugs in raid

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is set to file charges against distributors of several Chinese-made weight reducing pills and cures for erectile dysfunction, which are allegedly sold in the market without the approval of the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD).

NBI acting Director Nestor Mantaring said they are readying charges against Albert Chua Tan and Paulian Chan Tan of New Greston International Corp. for violation of Republic Act 8203, or the Act Prohibiting Counterfeit Drugs.

Agents of the NBI-Special Action Unit (SAU), under Assistant Regional Director Vicente de Guzman III, said they confiscated 11 boxes of counterfeit drugs from a house located in Barangay Sto. Domingo, Quezon City.

"The BFAD disclosed that New Greston International Corp. has no license to operate as drug distributors or as drug traders or as drug manufacturers," the NBI said in a statement.

All the foreign medicines should first undergo the BFAD’s scrutiny before they are released in the market to determine its effects and unit price.

De Guzman said they secured search warrants from Executive Judge Antonio Eugenio Jr., of Branch 24 of the Manila City Regional Trial Court (MCRTC) on June 14.

The agents, accompanied by Barangay Sto. Domingo officials, raided the house the following day at 5 p.m.

Also taken from the premises were stickers and labels, cartons for bottles, and other drugs in several plastic bottles and blister packs.

The boxes reportedly contained slimming pills labeled as the following: Ballerina Slim Down in Seven Days, Pearl White Slimming Capsule, Lightsome Capsule for Reducing Weight, Goodliness Fat Reducing Capsule, Reducing Weight Easily, and New Seven Days Miracle Capsule.

While medicine, patterned after the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra, were labeled as the following: True Hero Tablet, Hercules Capsule, Japan Man Nam Spray, and Indian Gold Location.

All the drugs, which are either being distributed and sold, come from China.

Last May 8, the NBI learned that Chinese traders in Quezon City are allegedly involved in the selling of imported counterfeit drugs.

They immediately conducted surveillance operations and test buys as a to verify the report.

They submitted the drug samples to the BFAD for verification.