Pro Consumidor confiscates more than 25,000 boxes of medicines in Moca

Medicines were unfit for consumption.

MOCA, Espaillat – The National Institute for the Protection of Consumer Rights (Pro Consumidor) carried out an extensive operation this Tuesday in this city, where more than 25,000 boxes of counterfeit, expired, and spoiled medicines were seized, as well as a large number of medical samples that were sold illegally.

The operation was headed by the executive director of Pro Consumidor, Eddy Alcántara, who visited with the inspectors several of the establishments engaged in the sale of medicines.

Alcantara said pills for different conditions, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and circulation issues were among the medicines seized.

There were also vaginal soaps, ovules, brain oxygenators, vitamins, calcium, menthol, and others.

He explained that many of these businesses voluntarily delivered a large amount of these products unfit for human consumption.

The inspection day, which was carried out in coordination with the Cuerpo Especializado de Control de Combustibles (CECCOM), covered businesses located in Doctor Alfonseca, 16 de Agosto, Antonio de la Maza, Corazón de Jesús streets, among others.

The director of Pro Consumidor said that the inspection operations have been strengthened throughout the national territory to eradicate the sale of fake medicines and will not lower its guard to combat this scourge and safeguard the life of every Dominican.

He stated that these medicines which do not comply with the quality standards “must be removed from the market, since they can cause harm to all consumers, particularly the population in vulnerable and disadvantaged situations such as the elderly, children and pregnant women.”

He expressed that the entity he directs will continue to work in defense of consumers “so that each person receives in their homes products in due conditions and with the necessary quality, whether they are food, medicines, beverages, fuels, and we reiterate that we will not rest until each business complies with what Law 358-05 of consumer and user protection says.”

The official emphasized that through these market surveillance operations, it is thoroughly verified that the products offered would comply with the quality standards to which they are called.

He went on to say that if this is not the case, the entity proceeds to confiscate the products and warns the owners of the commercial establishments about the violations they have incurred, which are typified in the consumer defense regulations.

The director of the entity pointed out that it was agreed with the owners of the businesses that sell medicines in this province “to make periodic inspections and manage the regularization of the establishments that sell products that are fit for consumption and to close those that do not comply with the different sanitary regulations.”