Gyeonggi-do, 39 Illegal Pharmaceutical Wholesalers Caught

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province has uncovered 39 illegal pharmaceutical wholesalers.

The Gyeonggi Provincial Special Judicial Police Unit announced on the 31st that it inspected 335 pharmaceutical wholesalers in the province from the 7th to the 18th and found 39 wholesalers violating regulations.

By type, there were 3 cases of pharmacist license lending and failure to designate a managing pharmacist, 11 cases of displaying or selling expired pharmaceuticals, 19 cases of violating pharmaceutical distribution quality management standards, 3 cases of violating compliance for veterinary pharmaceuticals, and 3 cases of storing pharmaceuticals outside of authorized warehouses.

Pharmaceutical wholesaler A in Hwaseong City was found to have operated using a borrowed pharmacist license from September 2018 until recently.

Pharmaceutical wholesaler B in Icheon City stored 12 boxes of 20-pack pharmaceuticals that were 2 years and 2 months past their expiration date, and pharmaceutical wholesaler C in Ansan City was confirmed to have stored 7 packs of herbal medicine that were 9 months past their expiration date.

Pharmaceutical wholesaler D in Yongin City was caught storing food items that could cause contamination together in a refrigerator designated exclusively for pharmaceutical storage.

According to the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, lending a pharmacist license is punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment or a fine of up to 50 million won, and storing or displaying expired pharmaceuticals for sale is punishable by up to 1 year imprisonment or a fine of up to 10 million won.

Kim Min-kyung, head of the provincial Special Judicial Police Unit, stated, "Due to COVID-19, residents' concerns and interest in health and pharmaceuticals have increased, so we conducted investigations on pharmaceutical wholesalers to ensure thorough management of pharmaceutical distribution," and emphasized, "We will continue to strictly punish illegal activities that may harm residents' health."