A 29-year-old woman was arrested in Mthatha this afternoon for being in possession of suspected stolen medicine.
Department of health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said, the schedule 3 drugs were packed in unmarked bags and being sold to unsuspecting members of the public.
“She was arrested by KSD municipal police,” he said.
Kupelo said, a manager for pharmaceutical services at the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital was assigned to identify the medicines.
“At this stage, it is not clear whether the drugs belong to the state or not as they have not been marked,” he said.
He said one container found suggested, that some of the drugs may have expired in 2017.
“The suspect will appear at Mthatha Magistrate’s Court tomorrow,” he said.
Kupelo said the department was urging members of the public not to buy medicines from the streets, they should rather go to nearest clinics or hospitals.
“These drugs pose a very high health risk not only because they are prescribed by unqualified people but also because they are exposed to high temperatures above the required temperature in terms of the act,” he said.