About $41,000 in illegal cough syrup, prescription medicine seized by HSA
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The overseas shipments were labelled as a well-known household bleach but were suspected to contain illegal cough syrup.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF HSA
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SINGAPORE – About $41,000 worth of illegal cough syrup and prescription medicine were seized by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) in two separate operations in November.
HSA raided two addresses in Yishun on Nov 17 and seized 106 litres of codeine cough syrup worth about $29,000, following a tip-off by a courier company, the authority said in a release on Nov 28.
The company had observed two suspicious crates from overseas at its storage facility, which were labelled as a well-known household bleach brand but were suspected to contain illegal cough syrup. They were due to be delivered to two places in Yishun that were eventually raided.
A Singaporean male importer, 43, had arranged the delivery for profit, according to preliminary investigations, said HSA.
Separately, a 23-year-old foreigner was caught by Immigration and Checkpoints Authority officers for trying to smuggle about 11,500 units of addictive prescription medicine at Changi Airport Terminal 3 on Nov 19.
The medicine, which included sedatives and painkillers, were valued at about $12,000 in street value and were intended for illegal distribution here, said HSA.
HSA said that a person should get prescription medicine only from a doctor or a pharmacy with a valid prescription.
It added that investigations are ongoing for both cases.
To report any activity involving illegal cough syrup and medicine, contact the Enforcement Branch of HSA on 6866-3485 from 8.30am to 5.30pm on weekdays or e-mail hsa_is@hsa.gov.sg
