Sri Lanka Customs Revenue Task Force (RTF) has seized a large quantity of illegally imported medicines from a warehouse in the Colombo Port.
The stock of smuggled medicine is identified as ‘PREGAB 150mg’ which is subject to National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) license, which is usually prescribed as a painkiller, according to Sri Lanka Customs.
However, this drug is widely abused by drug addicts and therefore has a very high demand in the market. The smugglers target school children with this drug to lure them to addiction, so that the customer base is widened and a steady demand is maintained, Sri Lanka Customs added.
The shipment of the stock of illegal medicines had arrived from India and was intercepted at a warehouse located inside the Colombo Port premises.
The Customs officials said that no NMRA license has been obtained for the importation.
The stock of around 1.8 million of these capsules had been found concealed in 36 wooden speaker boxes imported by a businessman in Pettah. The market value of the seized drugs is estimated to be around Rs. 90 million, according to the Sri Lanka Customs.
Further investigations are being carried out by officers attached the RTF of Sri Lanka Customs.