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United Daily News / Reporter He Xiangyu / Taipei County Report
October 1, 2010
Well-known weight-loss clinics ○○ and ○○ Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinics have been reported for selling diet pills called "Slim Tablet" containing the Western drug ingredient ephedrine. Police and prosecutors searched the two clinics and Gaoyu Biotechnology, which manufactures and packages the pills, yesterday. The clinics' owner, ○○○, and others were taken in for questioning. Since ephedrine is a precursor material for narcotics, authorities suspect these diet pills have already been distributed to multiple clinics in northern Taiwan.
It is understood that these two TCM clinics are highly renowned in northern Taiwan for promoting weight loss through thread embedding, acupuncture, and herbal medicine. Their services are always in high demand whenever they open for business.
The county health bureau recently received a tip-off that the "Slim Tablet" sold by ○○ TCM Clinic contained ephedrine. After testing the product, the bureau confirmed the report and referred the case to the Banqiao District Prosecutors Office for investigation. Yesterday, prosecutors directed police to conduct raids across northern and southern Taiwan, targeting five locations, including ○○ and ○○ TCM Clinics and Gaoyu Biotechnology.
Police seized a large quantity of finished and semi-finished "Slim Tablet" products at Gaoyu Biotechnology. It is reported that Gaoyu does not produce raw materials but purchases them from other suppliers before processing, packaging, and distributing the pills to pharmacies and clinics for consignment sales. Two years ago, during the tainted milk scandal, Gaoyu was also investigated by health authorities for accidentally purchasing toxic milk powder from China.
When authorities searched the two TCM clinics yesterday, the clinics were packed with patients. To avoid causing a commotion, investigators entered discreetly and took ○○○ and the clinic accountant away for questioning. Purchase records showing the clinics' transactions with Gaoyu Biotechnology were also seized. Both the clinics and the biotech company claimed they were unaware the pills contained ephedrine.
Since Gaoyu is only responsible for manufacturing, packaging, and selling "Slim Tablet," with raw materials supplied by other vendors, authorities are working overnight to trace the source. They are also investigating whether the pills have been distributed to other clinics or pharmacies.
Source: http://udn. com/ NEWS/ SOCIETY/ SOC7/ 5882526. shtml
Weight Loss Drugs Contain Ephedrine Raided in 2 TCM Clinics
October 1, 2010
Well-known weight-loss clinics ○○ and ○○ Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinics have been reported for selling diet pills called "Slim Tablet" containing the Western drug ingredient ephedrine. Police and prosecutors searched the two clinics and Gaoyu Biotechnology, which manufactures and packages the pills, yesterday. The clinics' owner, ○○○, and others were taken in for questioning. Since ephedrine is a precursor material for narcotics, authorities suspect these diet pills have already been distributed to multiple clinics in northern Taiwan.
It is understood that these two TCM clinics are highly renowned in northern Taiwan for promoting weight loss through thread embedding, acupuncture, and herbal medicine. Their services are always in high demand whenever they open for business.
The county health bureau recently received a tip-off that the "Slim Tablet" sold by ○○ TCM Clinic contained ephedrine. After testing the product, the bureau confirmed the report and referred the case to the Banqiao District Prosecutors Office for investigation. Yesterday, prosecutors directed police to conduct raids across northern and southern Taiwan, targeting five locations, including ○○ and ○○ TCM Clinics and Gaoyu Biotechnology.
Police seized a large quantity of finished and semi-finished "Slim Tablet" products at Gaoyu Biotechnology. It is reported that Gaoyu does not produce raw materials but purchases them from other suppliers before processing, packaging, and distributing the pills to pharmacies and clinics for consignment sales. Two years ago, during the tainted milk scandal, Gaoyu was also investigated by health authorities for accidentally purchasing toxic milk powder from China.
When authorities searched the two TCM clinics yesterday, the clinics were packed with patients. To avoid causing a commotion, investigators entered discreetly and took ○○○ and the clinic accountant away for questioning. Purchase records showing the clinics' transactions with Gaoyu Biotechnology were also seized. Both the clinics and the biotech company claimed they were unaware the pills contained ephedrine.
Since Gaoyu is only responsible for manufacturing, packaging, and selling "Slim Tablet," with raw materials supplied by other vendors, authorities are working overnight to trace the source. They are also investigating whether the pills have been distributed to other clinics or pharmacies.
Source: http://udn. com/ NEWS/ SOCIETY/ SOC7/ 5882526. shtml