Dhaka Metropolitan Police detectives have arrested three men for selling fake medicines and salves and banned drugs under the names of famous and expensive local and foreign brands.
The arrestees have been identified as Faisal Ahmed, Sumon Chandra Mollik and Md Liton Gazi.
The three were arrested following joint operations by detectives from the DMP’s Lalbagh Division and the Directorate General of Drug Administration at pharmacies in Dhaka’s Mitford area on Saturday.
Among the pharmaceuticals recovered in the raid were i-pill, Super Gold Kosturi, Naproxen Plus, Betnovate C, Protobit, Eno Sanagro, Periactin Moov, Ring Guard, Wheatfield, Nix Rubbing Balm, Vicks Cold Plus, Vicks and Gacozema.
“We conducted a raid in the Mitford area with the help of the drug administration directorate after we heard that some unscrupulous traders were selling banned and fake medicines and ointments, some under the names of famous and life-saving local and foreign brands,” Mahbub Alam, joint commissioner of the DMP Detective Branch (South), said at a news conference on Sunday, reports bdnews24.com.
The team raided the Medicine World and Aloknath Drug House on the ground floor of Sureswari Medicine Plaza and the Rafsan Pharmacy on the ground floor of the Hajji Rani Medicine Market.
“As the capital’s Mitford market is a wholesale market for pharmaceuticals, a counterfeit drug production and marketing ring has been using it as a hiding place to spread fake medicine across the country,” Alam said.
The initial interrogation found the traders had procured these medicines and salves for sale at the Mitford market in the hopes of raking in profits, he said.
A case against the arrestees has been filed at the Kotowali Police Station under the Special Powers Act.