Customs seizes P29 million unregistered medicines

MANILA, Philippines — Unregistered medicines worth more than P29 milion were confiscated recently by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

The medicines were said to be illegally imported from Hong Kong, according to the BOC.

Customs personnel said they seized 146,600 boxes of Lianhua Qingwen Jiaonang, a traditional Chinese medicine regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The BOC said the shipments were declared as health products without clearance from the FDA.

The shipments arrived last August and inspected by the BOC on Sept. 9.

The BOC issued a warrant of seizure for the unregistered medicines on Sept. 24.

Authorities failed to locate the consignee in the given address.

The BOC said the unregistered medicines would be subjected to forfeiture proceedings for violation of Section 1113 (Property Subject to Seizure and Forfeiture) in relation to Section 117 (Regulated Goods) of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and the Food and Drugs Act.