Valley police arrest for selling fake HIV testing kits

Kathmandu, February 18

The Metropolitan Police Range, Lalitpur has arrested the proprietor of Sanepa-based Sero Lab Nepal Traders for allegedly supplying fake medical diagnostic kits to hospitals, including Shree Birendra Hospital, Chhauni.

MPR in-charge SSP Pitambar Adhikari, said Kiran Kumar Shrestha, 42, of Bardiya, currently residing in Sanepa, procured various medical diagnostic kits, including HIV diagnostic kit, from Autobio Diagnostic Company Limited, Zhengzhou, China and sold them to hospitals and pharmacies.

Shrestha bought cheap and substandard Chinese products and replaced their logo with that of the Italian manufacturing company, Adaltis.

Acting on inputs received from the hospitals and pharmacies, police raided his office and arrested him yesterday. Police have also seized 21 units of diagnostic kits.

SSP Adhikari Thapa said Shrestha used to make the logo of the Italian company, using computer and colour printer at his own office.

“We are convinced that Shrestha has played foul in the health and medical service to be provided by the hospitals and surgical pharmacies and diagnostic centres,” said Kishan Singh Thapa, MPR spokesperson.

He has also been selling products in the name of many other foreign companies.

Shrestha had sold the kits by making profit of more than 300 per cent and was charged under the Black Marketing Act.