Drug firm slams NBI for 'fake drugs' claim

MANILA, Philippines –  The company earlier raided by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) denied yesterday allegations that they were supplying or selling counterfeit prescription medicine.

Sahar International Trading Inc. (SITI) co-owner Sharjeel Ateeque, in an interview with The STAR, denied that their firm has not done such an illegal activity.

Ateeque also denied knowing the man arrested by the NBI during a buy-bust operation conducted by the bureau’s Intellectual Property Rights Division (IPRD).

NBI-IPRD Agent Terrence Agustin told reporters last Friday that the seizure of the different medicines and the capture of suspect and alleged SITI manager Renante Dumasig, 35, was made after pharmaceutical companies Astra Zeneca, Novartis Healthcare Philippines and Pfizer filed separate complaints before the bureau.

Agustin said the NBI raided SITI. Ateeque confirmed the raid but insisted that no fake medicines were found.

Ateeque said at around 8:30 p.m. Thursday, the NBI came to SITI’s office and storage area with a search warrant but without the presence of Food and Drug Administration representatives.

Ateeque said they have copies of documents in which the NBI cleared the firm of any wrongdoing.

According to earlier reports, the NBI arrested Dumasig as he was counting the marked money paid him by a poseur buyer who bought assorted medicines last Nov. 18. The NBI said Dumasig led them to SITI offices.

The bureau earlier said the P25 million worth of counterfeit prescription medicines seized from SITI was the biggest haul of fake drugs in recent times.