Police on Thursday arrested a youth for black marketing of Remdesivir injections at an exorbitant price and recovered six injections from him in Basundhara, Kathmandu.
The arrestee has been identified as Rafik Miya (25) of Arughat Rural Municipality-4 in Gorkha district. Miya had currently been living in Tokha Municipality of Kathmandu.
Acting on a tip-off that black marketing of Remdesivir was taking place in Basundhara, a team of security personnel deployed from Minbhawan-based Metropolitan Crime Division arrested Miya along with six injections. However, his accomplice managed to elude police, it has been reported.
Miya was nabbed while he was trying to sell six injections at Rs 120,000 to customers. According to police the six injections of Remdesivir costs Rs 30,000.
Miya and his accomplice Deepak Dhakal who had been running Sewak Pharma, a pharmacy in Maharajgunj registered in the name Nilakantha Lamsal, were involved in black marketing of the antiviral drug, police informed and added that Dhakal was still at large. Meanwhile, police have sealed the pharmacy while the search is on for the racketeer Dhakal.
Remdesivir medicine is used in the treatment of COVID-19 disease in hospitalised patients including children aged 12 years and older who weigh at least 40 kg. Remdesivir injection is not easily available in the market as the hospitals get the medicine only through the Ministry of Health and Population.
Meanwhile, investigation into the case is underway. Police are also investigating the number of people involved in the black marketing of the antiviral drug, on how and from where they got the antiviral drug.
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