Ministry of Health and Wellness Conducts Search on Four Pharmacies Inside FSTV

Today, personnel from the Ministry of Health and Wellness descended upon four drugstores inside the Fort Street Tourism Village that are believed to be connected, including Pharmacy Express Limited. Credible reports to News Five are that health personnel were on hand to carry out a search of the pharmacies after government officials were reliably informed that they were distributing controlled drugs. If the name Pharmacy Express Limited sounds familiar, that is because the pharmaceutical company whose principals are listed as Julius and Angela Zabaneh, recently received a stamp of approval from the Social Security Board for a seven million dollar loan, which the Government of Belize has objected to. It is alleged that the company refused health personnel access to drawers that were fastened with padlocks. We are reliably informed that Ministry of Health personnel then sought to obtain four search warrants and even requested backup from the police department. It is further alleged that police officers on the scene confiscated a large quantity of controlled drugs from the premises, medications that reportedly require permits for distribution under the Misuse of Drugs Act. The company is said to have been unable to provide all the necessary documents upon request. We are told that of the four pharmacies, only two were searched, because a high-ranking official within the Ministry of Health reportedly made a call to have the search team stand down. The operation began around nine o’clock this morning and concluded just before four p.m. Attorney Hector Guerra represents Pharmacy Express Limited and their associate’s interest. He told us, “the search was unlawful, arbitrary and excessive”. We will continue to follow this story.