Detectives have arrested three individuals and seized counterfeit and unauthorised medicines, packaging materials, and manufacturing equipment worth approximately Tk1 crore during a raid in Mohammadpur, Dhaka.
Speaking at a press conference at DMP Media Centre on Wednesday, Detective Branch (DB) Additional Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam said the law enforcement agencies are currently identifying and tracking down the physicians who prescribed these fraudulent drugs to patients so they can be brought under the law.
Following intelligence reports, officers raided a third-floor flat in Block-C on Dhaka Uddyan Road under Mohammadpur Police Station, apprehending the trio at scene.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Abdullah Al-Mamun, 42, Md Shaju, 33, and Md Sojib, 26.
During the operation, law enforcers recovered various counterfeit medicines and personal care items – including syrups, capsules, shampoos, face washes, hygiene washes, soaps, powders, and tablets – along with extensive packaging materials.
The seized products include 192 bottles of KIDZ Omega Liquid 100ml syrup, 100 boxes of LACTOFLEX Capsules, 30 bottles of Facy GLOW Face Wash, 150 bottles of Detox Plus Shampoo, 70 bottles of Pedia Vox Kid Syrup, 300 strips of Osearc-CD capsules, 5kg of Oriva Hapes white powder, 50 bottles of BIOKET Active Shampoo, 800 bottles of KIDICARE Syrup Plus 100ml, 70 bottles of ZERO DAN Shampoo, 40 bottles of KETCOR-Z Shampoo, and 10 bottles of Nutramide Syrup.
Officers also seized 150 empty wrappers of INTA CLEAN HYGIENE WASH, 80 unlabelled bottles of Hygiene Wash, 300 empty wrappers of PERMIMITE Soap, 80 Spiruva (Spirulina) leaflets, 100 polythene covers for face wash, 300 unlabelled syrup bottles, 400 white plastic containers, 100 unlabelled white tablets, and 500 green empty capsule shells.
In addition, the raid yielded machinery used for manufacturing medicines, comprising three cylinders, one fuel-attaching machine, two capsule-filling machines, 10kg of fuel (polythene), six capsule-filling components, and two labelling moulds.
Highlighting the severe health hazards, Shafiqul warned that several seized products are liquid syrups specifically intended for children, posing grave risks to child life and health.
He specifically highlighted Kidicare syrup as a counterfeit product, alongside seized Kid Omega and Vitamin D3 items aimed at paediatric use.
A case has been registered against the accused at Mohammadpur Police Station under the Special Powers Act for storing fake drugs with intent to sell.
Initial investigations revealed that some of the seized pharmaceuticals are not customary in Bangladesh and were reportedly imported from a neighbouring country.
These unapproved drugs were being prescribed to patients through a network of specific doctors.
The DB chief emphasised that no doctor is authorised to prescribe medicines lacking approval from the Drug Administration, assuring that legal action will be taken against any practitioner found complicit during the investigation.
He added that the long list of seized drugs includes foreign products whose legal import status is currently being verified. Addressing public detection, he noted that while identifying counterfeit drugs is extremely difficult for general citizens, carefully inspecting brand wrappers and official packaging can help spot fakes.
According to primary interrogation, the syndicate had been running this fraudulent business for about three to three and a half months, having rented the flat roughly three months ago.
Although their operations are currently known to be confined within Dhaka, investigators are probing the full nationwide reach of their distribution network.
Enquiries are also underway to review seized documents to determine the total value of fake drugs supplied to date, identify buyers, and track down sales centres or dispensaries holding these counterfeit supplies.
