In its ongoing countrywide crackdown, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has arrested member of a gang in Islamabad selling smuggled coronavirus drugs to the people at much costly rates, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Friday.
Quoting sources, the TV channel reported that smuggled Actemra injections were recovered from member of the gang at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), who had visited the hospital for their delivery.
Meanwhile, confirming the arrest made by the Authority, DRAP CEO Dr Asim Rauf said that the action was taken on a tipoff. “A DRAP team phoned an agent of the gang for the purchase of Actemra injections who sold each injection for Rs0.1 million,” he elaborated.
The DRAP CEO termed busting of the gang a big achievement and said members of the gang managed to get these injections smuggled via Pak-Afghan border.
He further said that the official price of each Actemra injection was Rs59, 000, while the gang would sell it at prices ranging between Rs0.1 million and Rs0.15 million.
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Dr Asim Rauf said more arrests were expected after initial interrogation from the suspect, who, he added, would be proceeded against under the DRAP Act.
The DRAP CEO appealed to the people not to buy smuggled and costly drugs.
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He said that Authority’s teams were crack downing on such elements throughout the country, and that they would continue to do so till all of them were put behind bars.
Reporter Saba Bajeer