Government agents seized P50 million worth of medical supplies and equipment in two separate raids in Malabon and San Juan.
They raided two warehouses owned by Omnibus Biomedical System Inc., the company that has been tagged in a Senate inquiry for selling overpriced automatic extraction machines to the government.
Customs agents conducted the raids with help from the Philippine Coast Guard and the National Bureau of Investigation based on an order issued by Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero.
The authorities said Omnibus was hoarding and selling overpriced medical supplies and equipment such as high-pressure stream sterilizers, blood bags, books, real-time quantitative thermal cyclers and other medical supplies and equipment.
It was not the first time the authorities raided a store or warehouse selling overpriced medical supplies. Last month, Customs agents also seized some P5 million worth of personal protective equipment and medical supplies from a store in Binondo, Manila, and alleged treatment drugs for the COVID-19 disease in Singalong, Malate.
In Trece Martirez, Cavite, authorities at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport recently destroyed 8.7 tons of illegally imported Chinese medicines, cosmetics, cigarettes and electronic goods.
The items were shipped without permits and clearances and could not be sold or auctioned off for being unfit for consumption.
Customs-NAIA collector Carmelita Talusan said they condemned the items using the Thermal Decomposer Facility of Integrated Waste Management Inc. to make sure those would not be sold.