Police check sibutramine-lace food supplements

BANGKOK, May 22 (TNA) - Police and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials on Monday raided a company, producing and supplying food supplements, which are found to contain the dangerous appetite suppressant sibutramine. Sampandh Komrit, Chair and Advisor of the Medical Council of Thailand said about the investigation into involvement of Doctor Piyapong Howilailak also known as Doctor Bond in reviewing a product of Magic Skin, which allegedly supplied substandard cosmetics and weight loss products. Mr Samphan said the Medical Council sent a letter to request evidence from the FDA and the police and is gathering the doctor’s reviews on social media. He said the process is not delayed but it takes time. Doctor Bond will be asked to give more information on the case to the Medical Council. Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Weerachai Songmetta and FDA officials on Monday conducted search at Kalow Rich Inter Co Ltd, which is the three-storey commercial building in Soi Charansanitwong 75 in Bang Phat district. It allegedly manufactures and distributes sibutramine –laced food supplement products for weight loss. During the search, officials found 700 boxes of products, worth 1.36 million baht. Mr Jensan Techasuriyanant was identified as the managing director of the company. Besides the sibutramine, officials found two banned substances in the product: an antidepressant called fluoxetine and a fat –blocking medicine, called orlistat. The investigation continues to take a legal action against the culprits. Meanwhile, another team of officials also raided two houses in Phasi Charoen district in relation to Kalow Rich Inter company, where they found 268,200 empty boxes for packaging the products, worth about 182 million baht. All of these empty boxes were seized and will be destroyed. Evidence has been found that the company is hiring many celebrities to promote the products. Further investigation will be conducted to prosecute those who are involved. (TNA)