A Major Crackdown on Quack Medicine in Penang
In a significant operation, authorities have dismantled a prominent syndicate involved in the sale and production of illegal traditional health products valued at an astonishing RM24 million. This enforcement action was led by the Penang Health Department, highlighting the ongoing battle against unregulated health practices that endanger public safety.
According to Datuk Dr Fazilah Shaikh Allaudin, the State Health Director, the raid targeted 19 locations, with 13 sites yielding substantial evidence of illegal activities. The operation was executed by the Pharmacy Enforcement Division (CPF), supported by officials from the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) and local police forces, demonstrating a collaborative approach to law enforcement.
Dr. Fazilah explained that these inspections were triggered by public complaints and intelligence gathered over time. The meticulous efforts resulted in the arrest of five individuals, including two foreign nationals, aged between 34 and 60 years.
Among the confiscated materials were a staggering 88,000 finished health products, over 500 packages of raw materials suspected of containing regulated poisons, more than 23,000 semi-finished products, along with two digital devices and 36 machines used in the manufacturing process. "The seized items included unregistered traditional Chinese medicines believed to contain harmful substances such as steroids, paracetamol, allopurinol, and other ingredients banned under the Poisons Act of 1952," she noted during a press conference held at a factory in Simpang Ampat.
These illicit products were mainly marketed as pain relief medications and treatments for conditions like gout, selling for approximately RM20 per box. Dr. Fazilah emphasized that the discovery of these unregistered health products constitutes a violation under Regulation 7(1)(a) of the Control of Drugs and Cosmetics Regulations 1984. Offenders can face significant penalties, including fines of up to RM25,000, imprisonment for a maximum of three years, or both. If a company is implicated, fines could escalate to RM50,000.
Moreover, this activity also breaches Section 13A of the Poisons Act of 1952, which could result in fines up to RM50,000 and imprisonment of up to five years.
National CPF director Mohd Zawawi Abdullah revealed that this syndicate had been active since 2020, cleverly evading detection by dispersing their manufacturing processes across various locations. Among those apprehended, a 34-year-old man has been identified as the mastermind behind the operations, while the others are believed to be workers or relatives of his. There are indications that additional members of the syndicate remain at large, posing ongoing risks to public health.
In response to this growing problem, the Health Ministry has launched awareness initiatives such as “Tolak Ubat Tidak Sah,” abbreviated as TOBaTS, aimed at educating the public about the dangers associated with illegal health products. For anyone interested in learning more about TOBaTS, detailed information is available on the official website pharmacy.moh.gov.my/tobats.
Sellers and distributors are urged to act responsibly by ensuring that they only offer health products that are registered with a MAL number and display the PharmaTech security hologram. Furthermore, the public should verify the registration status of health products through the NPRA website at www.npra.gov.my, using the product search feature.
Finally, community members are encouraged to report any suspicious activities or concerns regarding the sale of questionable medicines or health products. They can do so via several channels, including the SISPA complaints portal or the dedicated hotline at 04-229 2319, or by reaching out to any pharmacy enforcement branch.
