2 Indians, Filipina arrested for selling ‘herbal’ meds containing opium, morphine

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Monday said it has arrested two Indian nationals and a Filipina for allegedly selling "herbal" medicine containing opium and morphine, as well as a rabies vaccine in Manila.

Agents arrested Kumar Sunil Motumal, Chutani Rakhi Darbala, and Mary Chris Mabini at an entrapment operation in Paco last Thursday, the bureau said in a statement.

A raid on a store called Anmol Indian General Merchandise revealed seven "sealed gold boxes" labeled "Kamini Vidrawan Ras" and "For Sale in India Only," as well as small boxes tagged "Rabipur," a rabies vaccine for humans, and "For Sale in India Nepal Only," the NBI said.

A laboratory examination showed "Kamini Vidrawan Ras" positive for the presence of opium and morphine substances. The suspects also failed to present a license or certification from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the merchandise, the NBI said.

The bureau said it had received a report that a store in Paco sells illegal drugs in boxes labeled "Kamini Vidrawan Ras" that is supposedly only for sale in India. But despite the arrest of "several" Indian nationals last August, the sale allegedly continued through mobile phones.

This led to a test-buy at the general merchandise store where operatives obtained two sealed golden boxes with the label and which reportedly contained substances that were later found positive for the presence of illegal drugs.

The arrested trio face complaints for violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, and the FDA Act of 2009 before the Manila prosecutor's office, the NBI said. — BM, GMA News