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The police have conducted a drug raid at OR Tambo International Airport.
- The police have seized unregistered medicines worth 126 million rand at OR Tambo International Airport.
- The raid is the largest involving unregistered drugs since the beginning of the year, according to police.
- The drug, identified as ivermectin, was imported for the treatment of Covid-19, according to initial investigations.
The police have seized drugs worth 126 million rand at OR Tambo International Airport.
The drug, identified as ivermectin, was imported for the treatment of Covid-19, according to initial investigations.
READ | Ivermectin for use in urgent cases of Covid-19 allowed before Section 21 applications are approved
The raid is the largest involving the alleged illegal importation of drugs since the beginning of the year, said police spokesman Col. Athlenda Mathe.
Mathe described it as a “breakthrough in cracking down on the illegal importation of unregistered drugs.”
“The discovery of the tablets was made earlier this week by authorities during an inspection of a cargo container bound for South Africa from India. Following a compliance check of the unregistered drugs by the Health Products Regulatory Authority of South Africa (Sahpra), the authorities found that the company that had imported the drugs into the country had done so without the necessary approval and written authorization from the regulatory authority, ”said Mathe.
The police have seized unregistered medicines worth 126 million rand at OR Tambo International Airport.
The police have seized unregistered medicines worth 126 million rand at OR Tambo International Airport.
No arrests have been made, but police are working with Interpol and the Indian authorities to establish the delivery address of the shipment.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the unregistered drugs had been imported for sale purposes and would have been used to treat Covid-19, Mathe said.
“Therefore, the South African Police Service draws the attention of pharmaceutical companies, including health experts, to Article 22 (c) of the Medicines Act, which clearly states that anyone who wishes to import medicines into the country he must have the written authorization of Sahpra. In addition, he pointed out that those who do not comply with the law will be arrested and brought before a court of law to answer for the illegal trafficking and / or importation of unregistered medicines.
In January, seven people were arrested for the illegal importation of unregistered drugs, mainly ivermectin. One person was arrested at King Shaka International Airport while six others were arrested at OR Tambo International Airport. All seven defendants are free on bail.
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