Food
Hong Kong’s Department of Health has urged the public not to buy or use a product, branded Snake Powder Capsules, as it was found to contain undeclared controlled drug ingredients.
The warning follows the admission to hospital of a 58 year old male, poisoned by the tablets, and a subsequent raid of a retail store in Mong Kok, and the arrest of its two staff.
The man was admitted to hospital with chest pain and swelling. He had a history of consuming Snake Powder Capsules, purchased locally. Preliminary test results from the HA’s laboratory revealed that the product may contain undeclared Part I poisons and antibiotics. The DH conducted investigation immediately.
A Chinese medicine centre in Mong Kok was subsequently raided in a joint operation by the DH and the Police. During the operation, a woman aged 50 and a man aged 29 were arrested for suspected illegal sale and possession of Part I poisons, an unregistered pharmaceutical product and antibiotics. Snake Powder Capsules were found and seized for analysis. The Government Laboratory has now confirmed that the product contains dexamethasone, ibuprofen, chlorpheniramine, tetracycline and chloramphenicol.
According to the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance, all pharmaceutical products must be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong before they can be sold legally in the market. Illegal sale or possession of unregistered pharmaceutical products and Part I poisons are criminal offences. The maximum penalty for each offence is a fine of $100,000 and two years’ imprisonment. In addition, the Antibiotics Ordinance prohibits illegal sale and possession of antibiotics. Offenders are liable to a maximum penalty of a $30,000 fine and one year’s imprisonment for each offence.
A DH spokesperson strongly urged members of the public not to buy or use products of doubtful composition or from unknown sources. All registered pharmaceutical products should carry a Hong Kong registration number on the package in the format of “HK-XXXXX”. Safety, quality and efficacy of unregistered pharmaceutical products are not guaranteed.
