P100K worth of fake paracetamol tablets seized —police

Over P100,000 worth of fake paracetamol tablets were confiscated while a delivery rider was arrested, police said.

In Maki Pulido's "24 Oras" report, police received a complaint from a victim in Caloocan who had rashes from fake medicine he bought from a motorcycle rider.

He added that he was forced to purchase the medicine because branded paracetamol are out of stock in local drugstores.

Subsequently, Caloocan police conducted a "test buy" wherein they seized medicines that had a fake lot number which means it is not made by authorized manufacturers. Also, the security marks were also bogus.

The Northern Police District then conducted an operation in Quezon City where they arrested a suspect who delivered P100,000 worth of counterfeit paracetamol tablets.

But the suspect explained that he only delivered the fake medicine from a supplier.

"May botika nga siya sabi naman niya sakin wala naman daw safe naman daw," the delivery rider said.

(The supplier has a drug store and he assured me that it is safe.)

Police then urged the public to endure long lines at drugstores instead of buying from unauthorized sellers.—Consuelo Marquez/LDF, GMA News