Mataram agency seizes `illegal' drugs, cosmetics

MATARAM: The Food and Drugs Monitoring Agency (BPOM) in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) said Tuesday it had seized at least 21,454 units of 640 allegedly illegal cosmetic products and drugs during week-long raids across the province.

Mataram's BPOM chairwoman Sri Utami Ekaningtyas said the products were confiscated from around 60 raid-targeted places, including beauty parlors, minimarkets and drug stores in Mataram, West, Tengah and East Lombok, as well as Bima. "We found many medicines, including imported ones, being sold illegally in markets, and traditional drugs without permits," she said, adding some seized products were found to have a dangerous chemical content.

Sri cited one, branded "Sakit Gigi", which contained excessive amounts of Ponstan, paracetamol and tetracycline. "It is dangerous to take them." - JP