NBI seizes P25-M counterfeit drugs

MANILA, Philippines - The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) seized before dawn yesterday P25 million worth of fake medicines imported from India, Pakistan and Singapore and arrested a businessman allegedly involved in the unauthorized distribution and sale of the confiscated medicines.

Agent Terrence Agustin, of the NBI Intellectual Property Rights Division (IPRD), told reporters that the seizure of the medicines and apprehension of Renante Dumasig, 35, of Montenegro street in Better Living Subdivision, Parañaque City, was made after pharmaceutical companies Astra-Zeneca, Novartis Healthcare Philippines and Pfizer filed separate complaints before the bureau.

Agustin said the confiscated fake drugs were brought to the NBI headquarters.

“So far, this is the biggest haul in all NBI operations against fake medicines,” Agustin said.

The NBI confiscated 43,850 tablets of Tegral (an anti-convulsant) by Novartis as well as Chloromycetin (an antibiotic) by Parke Davis; Sensorcaine (a local anesthetic), Astra Zeneca; Lasix (a diuretic), Sanofi-Aventis; and Plendil (an antihypertensive), also by Astra Zeneca.

IPRD agents arrested Dumasig as he was counting the marked money paid him by a poseur buyer who bought assorted medicines last Nov. 18 at the parking lot of a mall in Sucat, Parañaque City.

Dumasig led agents to his office at Sahar International Trading Inc. in Phase III of BF Subdivision, Parañaque City, where the stocks of assorted fake medicines were found.

Dumasig was brought to the NBI jail following charges of violation of Section 11 (a) and (j) of Republic Act 3720, the Food, Drugs and Cosmetics Act; and Section 10 of RA 9711, the law that created the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA).

The NBI said Dumasig was placed under surveillance after Caballes and Winda San Andres Legaspi, both of the IPRD, purchased from the suspect assorted medicines last Sept. 4.

The NBI then turned over the purchased medicines to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which certified that they were unregistered and their labels are not in accordance with the Philippine generics labeling requirements.

Agustin said while Dumasig’s business is legal, he allegedly “included the counterfeit drugs in his operation.”