Police target Senen, Pramuka markets for fake drug raids<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): City police are targeting two markets in Central
\nJakarta and East Jakarta in an attempt to crackdown on the
\ndistribution of fake medicines in the capital, an officer said on
\nTuesday.<\/p>\n
Spokesman for the Jakarta Police Sr. Comr. Anton Bachrul Alam
\nsaid the police, jointly working with the Food and Drug Control
\nAgency (BPOM), has deployed plainclothes personnel at the Senen
\nmarket in Central Jakarta and Pramuka market in East Jakarta to
\ncollect evidence on the alleged distribution of fake medicines.<\/p>\n
\"We are currently targeting the Senen and Pramuka markets and
\nhopefully, if we succeed with our investigations there, we will
\ncontinue to other markets in the capital,\" Anton told The Jakarta
\nPost.<\/p>\n
He did not deny the possibility of raids on drug stores in
\nother places across the capital if there was enough evidence of
\nillegal activity.<\/p>\n
\"All places that allegedly sell fake prescription drugs will
\nbe checked,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The police and BPOM were not only targeting traders at the two
\nmarkets, but if possible, also apprehending distributors, Anton
\nadded.<\/p>\n
\"Insyaallah (God willing) our systematic operation will
\nproduce maximum results,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Anton, however, said not all prescription drugs sold at the
\nmarkets were fake as some were believed to have been taken from
\nthe pharmaceutical factories and illegally sold to the traders at
\nthe markets for a cheaper price.<\/p>\n
\"That practice (taking original medicines from the factory and
\nselling them at the markets without a physician's prescription)
\nis also a crime,\" Anton said.<\/p>\n
When contacted separately, Jakarta's Police chief of the drug
\nunit Adj. Sr. Comr. Carlo Tewu said that for his unit the
\ncrackdown on fake prescriptions had become the top priority.<\/p>\n
\"But it takes time because we have to collect samples from the
\nfield and then take them to a forensic laboratory to make sure
\nwhether they are fake or not. If we find that the drugs are fake,
\nwe'll take the sellers to the station for questioning,\" Carlo
\ntold the Post.<\/p>\n
Tempo magazine reported that one out of three prescription
\ndrugs sold in the Pramuka market was fake and that the producers
\nused powder or dyes to fill the capsules.<\/p>\n
The Food and Drugs Control Agency found that from January to
\nMay, at least five prescription drugs had been fabricated. The
\nfive tablets were Alphaphist, Etambutol, Codein, Himagen and
\nHiralgen.<\/p>\n
The head of the agency Sampurno, told the weekly he was deeply
\nconcerned and regretted the lack of law enforcement being used
\nagainst the perpetrators.(emf)<\/p>",
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