Warehouse owner arrested for allegedly reselling used medical gloves
A warehouse owner was arrested for allegedly repackaging and reselling used medical gloves. Police raided a warehouse in Pathum Thani, just north of Bangkok, after receiving a tip that the building stored and repackaged used medical gloves.
Officers found 654 bags of used rubber gloves and over 30,000 empty boxes as well as other repackaging equipment, according to FDA deputy permanent secretary Suphatra Boonserm.
“The estimated market value of these gloves is over 100 million baht.”
The illegal operations of reselling used medical gloves has resurfaced in Thailand due to the high demand for gloves brought on by the new wave of Covid-19 infections, according to Suphatra.
After being tipped-off about the glove repackaging operation, officials from the Consumer Protection Police Division and the Food and Drug Administration raided the warehouse and arrested the owner.
The owner is charged with violating the Medical Device Act for manufacturing medical equipment without a license as well as making and selling unsafe medical equipment. The warehouse owner could face up to 3 years in prison and a fine up to 300,000 baht.
Suphatra urges consumers to verify the manufacturer before buying gloves.
“You can visit www.fda.moph.go.th to check the list of FDA approved manufacturers or call FDA hotline 1556. You can also call 1556 to report illegal manufacturing, importing or selling of health-related products.”
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
