AGENTS of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) have apprehended a Chinese national for allegedly selling unregistered medical products at a store in Barangay Bakilid, Mandaue City.
The NBI Cebu District Office (Cebdo) in Mandaue City arrested Hu Xiang for selling products to agents posing as customers of Laoxiang Supermarket, which is located on A.S. Fortuna Street, on March 22, 2023.
The NBI Cebdo seized P300,000 worth of assorted unregistered medical products. Personnel of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Regional Enforcement Unit assisted the agents during the operation.
Hu is a new employee of the store and a native of Fujian, a province in southeastern China, the NBI Cebdo said.
According to NBI Cebdo agent-in-charge Arnel Pura, the operation was conducted after they discovered that the supermarket did not have a license to operate from the FDA.
The seized medical products had not been registered with the FDA. The store also had no registration with the Department of Trade and Industry, as well as busines permit from the Mandaue City Government.
Pura further said Hu failed to present any document, such as a passport, to support the validity of his stay in the Philippines.
Hu has been charged for violating Republic Act (RA) 9711, or the Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009, and RA 10918, or the Philippine Pharmacy Act. The cases have been filed separately with two courts.
The Chinese national was temporarily released from NBI’s custody after posting bail of P96,000 for each charge.
Pura said the owner of the store remains at large, and the store has been permanently closed for investigation.
The seized unregistered medical products were brought to the FDA’s Cebu City field office for examination, and the results will be used as additional evidence.