Twenty people from seven selected districts of Northwestern Province have been arrested for operating unregistered pharmacies and agro-veterinary shops.
These actions are contrary to Section 14 (1) of the Medicines and Allied Substances Act Number 3 of 2013.
Meanwhile, one suspect has been apprehended for possessing suspected government medicines, contrary to Section 319 of the Penal Code of the Laws of Zambia.
Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority Senior Public Relations Officer, Ludovic Mwape, stated that in the suspected case of pilferage, Sharbani Birindwa Faustin, 39, was arrested at Kipushi Border in Mushindano District.
The suspect, a refugee of Congolese nationality based at Maheba Refugee Camp in Kalumbila District, was found with 1,215 packs of Coartem tablets.
Upon inquiry, Sharbani revealed that the medicines were given to him by an unidentified person from Solwezi District.
He further disclosed that the consignment was intended for the market in Congo DRC.
The suspect was detained at Solwezi Central Police Station pending further investigations to establish the source of the government medicines.
The twenty individuals arrested for operating unregistered pharmacies and agro-veterinary shops have been released on police bond and will appear in court soon.
They were arrested following an operation conducted by the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Commission in Northwestern Province between October 28 and November 11, 2024.
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