AYUTTHAYA, May 4 – Thai Public Health Ministry on Friday burned 34 tonnes of illegal drugs, including pseudoephedrine-based drugs, valued at estimated Bt221 million (more than US$7.36 million).
Public Health Minister Witthaya Buranasiri p resided over the incineration of contraband drugs, substances, cosmetics and medical devices as well as 238 kilogrammes of the pseudoephedrine-based cold medicines, which drugstores returned to the Food and Drug Administration, at the utility and environment management centre in the Bang Pa-In industrial estate.
The destroyed drugs were confiscated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Consumer Protection Police Division in the past year.
The huge volume of drugs incinerated today demonstrated that many illegal drugs and medical substances remained in circulation in the market, Mr Witthaya said, instructing government officials to step up measures to crack down on contraband drugs, illegal medical devices, and health-related substances.
Regarding pseudoephedrine-based drugs, the minister explained that the Thai FDA has asked drug manufacturers, importers companies and drugstores to return the cold medicines, due yesterday (May 3).
The drug recall followed the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) investigation of irregularities in procurement of the medicine after large amounts disappeared from a number of state hospitals.
Pseudoephidrine can be used as a basic element in methamphetamine production.
Mr Witthaya warned the public to carefully check food supplements as some counterfeit items with forged registrations are still found in the market.
As of Thursday, 20,780,000 pseudoephedrine-based pills and 11,700,000 cubic centimetres of pseudoephedrine-based syrup were returned by 43 drug companies, FDA Deputy Sec-Gen Pongpan Wongmanee said.
Sixty million pseudoephedrine-based tablets are currently stored at drug companies while 21 million others were in the government and private hospitals allowed to be used for treatment for about one year.
