SINGAPORE \u2013 About $41,000 worth of illegal cough syrup and prescription medicine were seized by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) in two separate operations in November. <\/p>\n
HSA raided two addresses in Yishun on Nov 17 and seized 106 litres of codeine cough syrup worth about $29,000, following a tip-off by a courier company, the authority said in a release on Nov 28. <\/p>\n
The company had observed two suspicious crates from overseas at its storage facility, which were labelled as a well-known household bleach brand but were suspected to contain illegal cough syrup. They were due to be delivered to two places in Yishun that were eventually raided.<\/p>\n
A Singaporean male importer, 43, had arranged the delivery for profit, according to preliminary investigations, said HSA.<\/p>\n
Separately, a 23-year-old foreigner was caught by Immigration and Checkpoints Authority officers for trying to smuggle about 11,500 units of addictive prescription medicine at Changi Airport Terminal 3 on Nov 19.<\/p>\n
The medicine, which included sedatives and painkillers, were valued at about $12,000 in street value and were intended for illegal distribution here, said HSA.<\/p>\n
HSA said that a person should get prescription medicine only from a doctor or a pharmacy with a valid prescription.<\/p>\n
It added that investigations are ongoing for both cases.<\/p>\n