Probe on medicine Sunday,

The Criminal Investigation Department today arrested the owner of the pharmacy which had bought tablets belonging to the health ministry, a ministry spokesperson said.

The tablets estimated more than Rs 400,000 with the ministry seal were found by the Cosmetic Devices and Drugs Authority at a pharmacy in Pettah on Friday.


Subsequent to the recovery, Minister of Health, Maithreepala Sirisena had spoken to IGP Mahinda Balasuriya and had asked the CID to conduct investigations into the incident.


The minister had also advised the IGP to continue with investigations despite any pressures and arrests the culprits. It has also been revealed that the staff of the health ministry has been involved in this incident.


The Cosmetics Devices and Drugs Control Authority Director, Dr. Hemantha Beneragama is to take legal action against the owner of the pharmacy for holding government medicine, operating a pharmacy without a pharmacist, for selling drugs without a doctor`s prescription and for not keeping medicine under the appropriate temperature.


While the owner of the pharmacist will be fined for these charges, action will also be taken to cancel the license of the pharmacy.