The Consumer Affairs Authority has raided a warehouse in Havelock Town, Colombo, that was storing illegally imported medicines used to treat cancer and heart disease, with a value of more than Rs. 10 million.
Investigators found a large stock of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment that had allegedly been brought into the country illegally, the authority said. More than 100 different types of unauthorised medicines and medical products were uncovered during the raid.
The CAA warned that the sale and distribution of unregistered, unauthorised or substandard medicines pose a serious threat to public health and safety.
Reporting channel
The authority urged the public to come forward with information about individuals or groups selling illegal medicines and other health-related products that could endanger lives. Such information can be reported during office hours on its 1977 hotline.
Part of a wider enforcement drive
The seizure follows a sustained run of Consumer Affairs Authority action in the healthcare sector this year. The authority raided 471 pharmacies and drug stores in an operation reported this week, and has separately pursued cases over expired ayurvedic medicines and overcharging at private medical institutions in Jaffna.
Unlike those cases, which centred on retail pricing and stock condition, Thursday’s raid targets the supply end — medicines entering the country outside the registration system entirely. Cancer and cardiac drugs are among the most expensive categories on the Sri Lankan market, and unregistered imports bypass the quality and storage controls that apply to approved products.
Source: NewsFirst.
