Largest ever stock of Corex-D, Tramadol seized

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

The largest stock of Corex-D and Tramadol was seized by National Drug Authority officials from a private pharmacy at Moratuwa. Eight hundred Corex-D syrup bottles and 20,000 Tramadol tablets were seized by the officials.

A pharmacy is entitled to store around five or six bottles of Corex-D and a small amount of Tramadol tablets, Health Ministry sources said. According to the sources, the raid was carried out with Police assistance on a tip-off by a person who had spent Rs. 24,000 per month to buy the two drugs from this private pharmacy. The private pharmacy had sold drugs without prescriptions and did not keep inventories on drugs and sales.

Most drugs were sold to schoolchildren in Moratuwa and Rawathawatta areas.

Corex syrup (a cough syrup) and Tramadol (a pain killer) are used use as substitutes for alcohol and narcotics.

The two drugs have narcotic effects and are addictive when taken in excessive amounts. The two drugs are sold only by prescription and can cause serious health complications if used without medical advice.

The Health Ministry will take legal action against the pharmacy and cancel its license. Similar countrywide raids are to be conducted to detect similar types of drugs stored and sold especially during the big match season.

The ministry warns and requests the parents to be vigilant on the activities of their children, as using of such drugs without a doctors' prescription can cause kidney, liver, brain damage and also result in other health complications, especially poisoning, he added.