China launches manhunt in fake drug case

Thu Feb 5, 2009 5:43am GMT

(Recasts with police looking for main suspect in case, adds details)

BEIJING, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Chinese police are hunting a person suspected of being the mastermind behind a fake diabetic drug ring in which at least two people have died, state media said on Thursday.

The patients died in China's far western region of Xinjiang after taking the counterfeit medication.

Police, who have already arrested five people for selling the drugs, have named Li Dong their main suspect in the case, the official Xinhua news agency said.

"He is believed to have sold the fake drug to many places in China," the report said.

Authorities have also found more than 5,000 bottles of the fake diabetes medication in two other provinces, southwestern Sichuan and western Qinghai, state radio said in a report carried on the official website, www.china.com.cn.

However, nobody has yet been found to have fallen sick after taking the fake drug in either province, the report added.

"Authorities have said that their preliminary investigation showed that the counterfeit drug was not produced in Xinjiang, but they have so far failed to find its source," Xinhua said.

China is battling a string of food and drug safety scandals and has vowed to get tough.

A court last month sentenced two men to death for their role in making and selling milk tainted with melamine, an industrial compound. At least six children died and nearly 300,000 fell ill after drinking the toxic dairy products last year.

The government has warned that the economic slowdown could lead to more cases as struggling drug makers cut corners and violate standards. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Nick Macfie)




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