Police swooped on an illegal medication manufacturing plant in North Riding, Randburg, recently, and confiscated equipment and stock to the value of R1.5m.

Honeydew police media liaison officer Warrant Officer Dave Stanton said one arrest was made following the bust by the police’s infrastructure task team, and a case of contravention of the Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965 had been opened.

“Situated in an upmarket business park, the plant had been manufacturing bottles of fake cough mixture on an industrial scale,” Stanton said.

“The confiscated bottles of cough mixture appeared to be professionally made and convincing of their authenticity. Accredited fully licensed pharmacies should only be visited and attempt made to ensure that medications you purchase are either prescribed or suggested to you by a medical practitioner.”

Stanton added that lower-income communities were more susceptible to a prevalence of informal health and medication stores, where counterfeit medications were likely to be sold.

“Purchasers of such counterfeit medications seldom know the real ingredients and the usage thereof could easily cause more harm than good.”

According to the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority website, as per section 2B (1) of the Medicines Act, the authority oversees general regulations which include the ‘arrangement of regulations for the supply of medicines; the registration of medicines, permits, licensing and authorisation; and the management of medicines, authority, appeals, investigations, offences and penalties’.

To contact the authority as a whistleblower relating to medicines and medical devices, the details of such a tip-off with photos and documents attached, can be submitted here.