SMUGGLED. Photo shows the smuggled tea and medicines recovered by police operatives in an operation on Saturday afternoon in Barangay Bula, General Santos City. The illegal items included a steroidal drug used in treating coronavirus disease patients. (Photo courtesy of the city police office)
GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Police recovered over the weekend some PHP450,000 worth of smuggled herbal tea and medicines from Indonesia in a law enforcement operation here.
Maj. Melvin Joseph Violan, chief of the city police investigation unit, said Monday the illegal items were seized from a house of a businessman identified as Abdula Omar in Bula extension, Zone 2C, Barangay Bula.
He said they subjected the suspect to an entrapment around 5:30 p.m. Saturday after receiving reports regarding the selling of smuggled products at the house.
Violan said an undercover operative managed to purchase tea, vitamins, and unspecified medicines worth PHP700 from Abdula.
He said the operating team found inside the suspect’s house at least five boxes containing packs of Indonesian herbal tea “Bintang dua mustika dewa,” two boxes of Pronicy Cyprohetidine HCl (4 mg), and 46 bundles containing 20 pads each of Dexamethasone.
“These are unregistered products and not allowed for distribution in the country,” he said in his report to Col. Gilberto Tuzon, the city police director.
The Food and Drug Administration had warned consumers against taking Dexamethasone and Pronicy Cyprohetidine HCl -- classified as steroid and antihistamine -- coming from Indonesia as they may cause potential danger or injury to consumers.
The World Health Organization said Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid used in a wide range of conditions for its anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant effects.
It was tested early this year in hospitalized patients with the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the United Kingdom and was found to have benefits for those critically ill.
Violan said they will turn over the confiscated items to the Bureau of Customs and FDA for proper disposal.
He said the suspect will be charged with violation of Republic Act 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act. (PNA)
