~ Businessman says he's being targeted~
PHILIPSBURG--The Inspectorate of Public Health VSA confiscated an undisclosed quantity of items from containers belonging to at least two businesses at Tropical Shipping Warehouse on Thursday.
Inspector of Pharmaceuticals Ashanti van Heyningen declined to release information on the incident when contacted on Friday, but promised to give details next week via Government Information Services (GIS). She said releasing information at this stage will jeopardise the investigation.
Lucky's Managing Director Prakash Menghani, one of the business owners from whom items were confiscated, told The Daily Herald that 63 cases of Century 22; 3 cases of Septicon and two cases of Jarabrompebecho imported from the Dominican Republic and valued at about US $5,000 were confiscated from him.
The Lucky's official said Century 22 is a blood cleanser, Septicon a mouthwash for cold and throat infections and Jarabrompebecho, a garlic vitamin for cold. The Daily Herald understands that items from another business with links to the Dominican Republic were also confiscated.
Chief Customs Officer Anthony Doran confirmed that Customs was involved in the exercise with the Inspectorate, but directed this newspaper to the Inspectorate of Health as it is an investigation started by that department. He said Customs usually assists its partners.
Menghani said he had been summoned to the warehouse early Thursday afternoon and was told that he was not allowed to bring in those specific items confiscated because they were not registered. He was given a letter from the Inspectorate to this effect and was told that the merchandise would be held "until further notice."
Menghani said the items confiscated from him are sold over the counter and are well known around the Caribbean. He doesn't understand why these specific items had to be confiscated. He said he is in the health and beauty business and these are some of the items that are sold. He also contended that there are many items that are not registered, but are being sold.
He said too that he has been in this line of business for more than a decade and a half, selling similar items "and suddenly they came [Thursday] and they told me I'm not allowed to sell them."
The businessman said while he doesn't mind registering the products, he is unaware of the procedures to follow. He expressed willingness to register the items if the Inspectorate cooperates with him and guides him on the procedures he needs to follow.
Alluding to previous occasions in which inspectors swooped down on his business, Menghani said he feels as if he is being targeted and singled out. He said he didn't know why anyone would single him out and suggested that maybe his business was "interrupting" someone. He said the last time he was visited by inspectors he had been told that he wasn't allowed to sell certain items.
He said now he has been told he's not allowed to bring in certain items. "Every time they say something different; next time it will be something else," he said. "I'm in the health and beauty industry. This is a normal product that is available in every market. I find it's very unfair because we are in a democratic market and [we bring in items] based on demand."
Items imported, he said, are wholesaled and retailed; they are not sold to pharmacies.
Twitter Chalkboards France Nuclear power Manchester United Shola Ameobi
No comments:
Post a Comment