4 Chinese nabbed in Binondo

Police have raided several drugstores reportedly selling unregistered medicines in Binondo, Manila, last Friday and have arrested five people, including four Chinese nationals.

Newly installed Criminal Investigation and Detection Group director Chief Superintendent Edgardo Doromal identified the arrested persons as Roger Pincas, sales representative of Vita Green, Teresita Cheng, Kun Zhang Chen, assistant manager and manager, respectively, of Cathay Oriental and Michael Yao, manager of Beauty Land, all Chinese drugstores.

Doromal said the five allegedly were selling counterfeit drugs. They were taken to the Manila prosecutor’s office for inquest proceedings.

The police also seized some P800,000 worth of various drugs, pills and tablets for erectile dysfunction, sleep enhancers, and vitamin and mineral supplements.

"The raid on these drugstores was an off-shoot of our new thrust on economic crimes which have dealt a crippling blow to the economy of our country, specially RA 8203, which is a special law on drugs which have been spirited into the country without passing proper procedures on taxation. And, most importantly, they were not duly examined and registered with the Bureau of Food and Drug for availability for human consumption," Doromal said.

The BFAD confirmed last December that the drugs being sold were unregistered with the bureau.