On Friday, the Drug Control Bureau conducted raids on the company called Med Serve in Kozhikode.
Amid the COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis, a Kozhikode-based company is in the dock for allegedly buying face masks in bulk and selling it to other entities at exorbitant rates to make undue profit. The company allegedly made a profit of around Rs 30 lakh in this way. On Friday, the Drug Control Bureau conducted raids on the pharmaceutical distribution company called Med Serve. A total of 3 lakh masks which are usually sold at Rs 1.40 each, were sold at a premium of Rs 17 each. The company is located close to the Kozhikode railway station. They had been hoarding masks and subsequently sold it to three companies. From January onwards, the company had allegedly been indulging in this practice of buying masks from several places and later selling it to other entities at a high margin. This has resulted in a shortage of masks in the market, amid the spread of coronavirus. The masks were reportedly packed off to the Gulf and from there to other countries. Regional Drug Inspector Shaji M Verghese said, “We got information that this company was hoarding masks and a surprise check was conducted yesterday. The violations have been recorded and we have collected the requisite documents and on Monday, the charges will be framed. The masks have all been sold off and cannot be recovered now.” Further, under the Drugs & Cosmetics Act, we do not have the power to arrest. We can only initiate suspension or cancellation of licence and file a case, he added. Meanwhile, the government, in an effort to increase supply and prevent hoarding of masks, on Friday declared face masks and hand sanitisers as essential commodities for the next 100 days as it stepped up its fight to check the spread of coronavirus disease. Further, the Disaster Management Act has been invoked to ensure price regulation and availability of surgical and protective masks, hand sanitiser and gloves. On Friday, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) also asked states and union territories to ensure that masks and sanitisers are not sold above their maximum retail price.
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