PRETORIA– A 70-year-old supermarket owner, Hassim Hassim appeared in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 17 June 2022, facing a charge of contravening the Medicines and Related Substances Act of 1965. This follows his arrest on the Wednesday, 15 June 2022 by the Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team together with the inspectors from the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA).

The joint team swiftly acted on information received about a supermarket selling schedule 6 medication without the necessary license. The said medication is supposed to be sold by a pharmacist upon presentation of prescription from a qualified doctor.

The authorities seized medication that include ointments, creams and capsules worth a combined value surpassing R100 000 and the suspect was released on warning. Subsequent to his first court appearance, the matter was remanded to the 29 July 2021 for further investigation.

Source: South African Police Service