The Pharmacy and Poisons Board in conjunction with the police has taken into custody 72 persons who have been linked to running illegal pharmaceutical premises, all in a bid to halt the operationalization of such establishments as well as prune the irregular pharmaceutical practices in the country.

The sting operation was carried out across the country, with 40 arrested from the Nyanza region, 21 in the North Rift region, and 11 in Ongata Rongai, Kiserian, and Kamulu towns within Nairobi Region.

In a statement made on Friday, May 13  by the Head of Good Distribution Practices Kaluai Julius, 120 cartons of assorted Health Products and Technologies (HPTs) were found on the illegal premises and seized.

“The objective of the operation is to enforce closure of non-compliant pharmaceutical premises which were previously closed down as well as executing warrants of arrest relating to Pharma crimes,” Kaluai's statement read in part.

He warned Kenyans against vandalizing closure notices issued to non-compliant pharmaceutical outlets noting that investigations are ongoing and upon conclusion, action would be taken against the violators of the regulations.

The regulatory board has also discovered that some unscrupulous practitioners are branding their premises using different names from the licences issued. 

“We advising the practitioners to ensure their premises are rebranded as per the license issued,” he cautioned.

This comes a month after another crackdown where 40 people were nabbed over the same offence of pharmaceutical malpractices in Nairobi and North Eastern.

They were charged with operating a pharmacy on premises not registered by the PPB, illegally operating as pharmacists and pharmaceutical technologists, being in possession of poisons on unregistered premises, and operating pharmacies without the presence of a registered pharmacist on the premises.