31 October 2008
Maputo — Mozambique's Health Minister, Ivo Garrido, on Thursday ordered the closure of the Biofarma Pharmacy in Maputo, following the illegal import of medicines.
Biofarma is owned by Victor Gomes, a Portuguese national, who was arrested by the Mozambican police on October 14, when boxes of unauthorized drugs were found in his flat.
According to Friday's issue of the Maputo daily "Noticias", besides its immediate closure, the pharmacy must pay a fine, the amount of which has yet to be disclosed.
The arrest of Victor Gomes followed an anonymous tip-off, denouncing the sale of imported illegal medicines at Biofarma. The police raid on his flat showed that he had indeed imported medicines without the requisite licence from the Health ministry.
In the same operation, the authorities also seized two pistols, ammunition clips, knives, machetes and four boxes of ammunition, all belonging to Gomes.
According to Martinho Djedje, spokesperson of the Health Ministry, some of the drugs seized are not among those authorised for use in Mozambique.
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