Millions Of Tablets Containing Pseudoephedrine Found Missing In Two Thai Hospitals

[webfact]

Millions of tablets found missing in two hospitals

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Millions of tablets containing pseudoephedrine are found to have disappeared from two hospitals, raising concern that might have been stolen to produce methamphetamine, police investigators said.

Assistant National Police Commissioner LtGeneral Jaramporn Suramanee yesterday convened a meeting of relevant authorities in a bid to prevent any future disappearances.

Medication containing pseudoephedrine now have to be prescribed because they can be used a precursor chemical to produce methamphethamine.

The police investigation team traced the disappearance of medication from two hospitals, one in Chiang Mai and the other in Udon Thani, after the Provincial Police Region 5 discovered a huge number of empty medicine packages at a house in Chiang Mai's San Kampaeng district. Further checks found a stockpile of 230,000 pseudoephedrinecontaining tablets at another house. This amount was clearly much higher than what is allowed under law.

"By law, only hospitals with patient beds can order medication containing pseudoephedrine, and even then it can be no more than 5,000 tablets a month," Jaramporn said.

He added that investigation suggested that some hospital officials had faked documents to steal the medicines. "The embezzlement alone is a legal offence and if there's evidence that the officials are also involved in drugmanufacturing gangs, they will face more charges," Jaramporn said.

-- The Nation 2012-03-14

[clockman]

as usual, its obvious!

[noitom]

The payoff wasn't sufficient and the chain was broke. The Thai press paints the picture that this a surprising new discovery. We'll all be excited to see the investigative journalism at work.

[IsaanUSA]

Nice headline, I came in here thinking it was about the tablet computers they were giving out

[Thai at Heart]

Says they found packages in houses, unless the people possessing the packs told the cops, how do they know they came from certain hospitals?

[strollling]

Says they found packages in houses, unless the people possessing the packs told the cops, how do they know they came from certain hospitals?

Well I'd guess that each package is coded and documented as being delivered to a certain hospital upon distribution.

Edited March 14, 2012 by strollling

[Thai at Heart]

Says they found packages in houses, unless the people possessing the packs told the cops, how do they know they came from certain hospitals?

Well I'd guess that each package is coded and documented as being delivered to a certain hospital upon distribution.

Possible. Of course, we will prevent it, as opposed to throw the book at whichever chemist illegally sold this huge amount of product. I think we can safely say, that if now 3 or 4 hospitals are at it, the reality is that many more are doing it too.

[OzMick]

In a country where they burn anything not wanted, why would you leave a huge quantity of incriminating evidence (the empty packets) lying around. Thick as a brick.

[Thai at Heart]

In a country where they burn anything not wanted, why would you leave a huge quantity of incriminating evidence (the empty packets) lying around. Thick as a brick.

Chuay chaat, recykun........

[loong]

If a hospital can only get a maximum of 5,000 tablets per month and millions are missing from 2 hospitals, what's that - abouty 20 years worth?

[chrisinth]

If a hospital can only get a maximum of 5,000 tablets per month and millions are missing from 2 hospitals, what's that - abouty 20 years worth?

Serious stockpiling! Wonder what the use-by-date is for this medication? Would be a lot less than 20 years methinks.

Either someone has their maths wrong, or it has opened a big case against the hospitals as well

Edited March 14, 2012 by chrisinth

[tragickingdom]

Just more proof that the upstanding boys and girls of society are involved in the drug production. They will never be caught of course, it is moe interesting to lock up hundreds of children with a few pills. It is all about the numbers not about the culprits.

[ozsamurai]

found missing....lol

[anterian]

How do I contact the black market, I need one a night to sleep comfortably in this pollution they call air.

[FOODLOVER]

No kidding, might want to start and investigation.

[chrisinth]

Just more proof that the upstanding boys and girls of society are involved in the drug production. They will never be caught of course, it is moe interesting to lock up hundreds of children with a few pills. It is all about the numbers not about the culprits.

Not sure about that. There are pretty tight international regulations on the tracking of these drugs. Someone had to sign for them somewhere.

Follow the sweetie trail!

[Soutpeel]

raising concern that might have been stolen to produce methamphetamine, police investigators said.

Duh...ya think so ?......

maybe there are lots of people running around with runny noses this time of the year and the tabs are being sold them

[cheshiremusicman]

Says they found packages in houses, unless the people possessing the packs told the cops, how do they know they came from certain hospitals?

Well I'd guess that each package is coded and documented as being delivered to a certain hospital upon distribution.

Well so much for all the mountains of paperwork/rubber stamping/copying that the Thai's love so much. I'll bet that they haven't got a clue where all this 'junk paperwork' is now residing, but at least it keeps some moron with a 'University degree' in work.

[heybruce]

Just more proof that the upstanding boys and girls of society are involved in the drug production. They will never be caught of course, it is moe interesting to lock up hundreds of children with a few pills. It is all about the numbers not about the culprits.

Not sure about that. There are pretty tight international regulations on the tracking of these drugs. Someone had to sign for them somewhere.

Follow the sweetie trail!

I'm sure some fall guy did sign for them. And if this person implicates anyone well connected, the matter will be investigated, and will stay under investigation until people forget about it.

[gk10002000]

If a hospital can only get a maximum of 5,000 tablets per month and millions are missing from 2 hospitals, what's that - abouty 20 years worth?

Hehe. I love when simple math prevails. Let's find the Hospital Purchase Orders or Buyer's Approval stamp. How far down the rabbit hole do you want to go?

[FOODLOVER]

Governments new tablet program? Check your first graders.

[canuckamuck]

Certainly The Nation should once again consider hiring at least one person fluent in English. They are pretending to be an English language newspaper after all, so there is an expectation of more than basic literacy. I think most of these articles are laughable because of translation errors but also because they are never proof read by someone who's first language is English. Or perhaps the proof reader is not comfortable in pointing out mistakes.

[ableguy]

as usual, its obvious!

They would only have millions of these pills because they wanted to steal them, nothing unusual there just daily corruption.