MULTAN: Collectorate of Customs Enforcement & Compliance (E & C) has joined hands with police`s special branch to assist Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), customs and food departments in their ongoing campaign against spurious medicines and food supplements.
Sources told Customs Today that Multan Customs department has received information that massive quantity of smuggled and non-customs paid medicines and food supplements available in various medical stores of the City.
Multan Customs teams visited various medical stores of Ghanta Ghar, Gulghast and Nishtar to check spurious medicines and food supplements.
Sources told that assistance of special branch was sought after all Pakistan Chemist Association termed the raids unjustified.
Multan Customs received information that imported medicines were sold in the various medicines markets and these food supplements were smuggled through different origin without any duty taxes.
The association approached the city district government after various raids on their outlets in Multan. These outlets owners were failed to produce sales invoice and import documents regarding the imported items, they said, adding spurious medicines or food supplements were not found at any outlet raided by the customs department or inspected by the DRAP.
However, City District Government asked DRAP to check the stock available in the medical stores to ensure that no spurious medicines were sold.
Keeping in view the chemist’s association`s concerns, the city district administration held a meeting with representatives of DRAP, customs and food departments, which was also attended by officers of the Special Branch.
During the meeting, the Special Branch was asked to collect intelligence reports about sale of non-customs paid imported items and spurious medicines and food supplements in medical stores.
Besides, police intelligence wing was also directed to collect details about the purchase chain of these items, the officers said. In the light of the Special Branch report, outlets having non-custom paid items, spurious medicines and food supplements will be raided.
Multan Customs, Drap and the food department were assured that the city district government and police would assist and cooperate with them in their campaign.
