China News Service, April 11. According to the Hong Kong Commercial Daily, Hong Kong Customs today (11th) explained a case of cracking down on the illegal import of new crown oral drugs for the first time. In the case, new crown oral drugs and various controlled drugs were seized. About 3 million yuan (Hong Kong dollars, the same below).
Wong Yat-yen, Senior Investigation Officer of the Organised Crime Investigation Division of Hong Kong Customs, said that on March 21, Customs selected and inspected a batch of air parcels imported from India and reported to be gifts through risk assessment at the airport. 10,000 illegally imported oral antiviral drugs for the novel coronavirus were seized in a commercial building unit in Sheung Shui after a follow-up investigation. Another batch of suspected controlled drugs was received at the airport. In the case, about 47,000 new crown oral medicines and 70,000 tablets of various controlled drugs were seized, with a total value of about 3 million yuan.
Wu Siqi, the investigation director of the Organised Crime Investigation Division of Hong Kong Customs, pointed out that after taking over the investigation, it was found that the drugs were transported to a commercial building unit in Sheung Shui. Pack and arrange for delivery to neighboring areas.
At the same time, other drugs were found in the warehouse involved, including anticancer drugs and drugs for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
A batch of medicines received at the airport on April 1 was sent to the same address, including a total of 900 controlled injections used to treat cancer. The arrested man has been released on bail pending investigation. The case is still under investigation. Someone was arrested.
Wang Yiyan pointed out that the new crown oral drug intercepted in this case was authorized by the main factory to be manufactured locally by a subsidiary factory, and only supplied to the local market. The drug in question is not registered in Hong Kong and is not allowed to be imported into Hong Kong.
As for the use of the two currently registered COVID-19 drugs in Hong Kong, the Department of Health is limited to supplying medical institutions and doctors to the public in need, and will never appear at the retail level.
For other COVID-19 drugs that are not registered in Hong Kong, the Department of Health and the Customs will strengthen import and export control to prevent related products from entering the Hong Kong market and affecting public health.
The Department of Health will also send a letter to remind licensed pharmaceutical traders of the relevant regulatory requirements. The registration number must be attached, and the public should pay attention to it when purchasing.
According to the Import and Export Ordinance of Hong Kong, it is an offence for anyone to import pharmaceutical products and medicines without a valid license. Upon conviction, the maximum penalty is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for 2 years; Under the Poisons Ordinance, any person who fails to possess any of the poisons listed in Part I of the Poisons List in accordance with the provisions of the Poisons Ordinance shall be guilty of an offence. The maximum penalty is a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for 2 years.