[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province is cracking down on illegal distribution and sales of pharmaceuticals within the province.
The Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police announced on the 21st that from the 26th to the 30th of this month, they will conduct a focused investigation into illegal distribution and sales activities targeting over 360 pharmaceutical sales businesses registered under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, including pharmacies, traditional Korean medicine pharmacies, herbal medicine shops, and veterinary pharmacies.
The main items under investigation include ▲ unqualified persons preparing or selling pharmaceuticals ▲ selling prescription drugs without a doctor's prescription ▲ selling expired pharmaceuticals ▲ damage or alteration of pharmaceutical containers and packaging.
According to the current Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, unqualified persons who prepare or sell pharmaceuticals face imprisonment of up to 5 years or a fine of up to 50 million won. Those who sell prescription drugs without a doctor's prescription face imprisonment of up to 1 year or a fine of up to 10 million won.
The Special Judicial Police plan to conduct thorough investigations back to the manufacturers for businesses found violating the law and implement strong follow-up measures to completely block counterfeit and substandard pharmaceuticals.
In Chi-kwon, head of the Special Judicial Police of the province, emphasized, "Pharmaceutical preparation and sales are directly linked to the health of residents, so thorough management according to relevant laws is necessary," adding, "We will strictly punish and crack down on illegal activities."
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