The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety said on the 6th that in the second special crackdown to stabilize syringe distribution networks, it caught 34 sellers (57 cases) that violated rules banning hoarding.
The crackdown was conducted from Apr. 27 to 30 nationwide, targeting sellers. The aim was to check acts disrupting distribution order, such as excessive stockpiling and skewed supply to specific transaction partners.
The violations were: ◇ eight cases of storing more than 150% of the monthly average sales volume for five days or longer ◇ 12 cases of sales exceeding 110% ◇ 31 cases of excessive supply to a specific transaction partner ◇ six cases of failing to report data.
Cases were also confirmed. One company was caught after storing about 120,000 syringes above the threshold for seven days, and another company sold up to 35 times more than allowed to a specific transaction partner even after the first crackdown. Another company supplied up to 78 times the volume to the same buyer.
The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety filed complaints against 10 companies that were caught again for violating storage standards and excessively supplying to a specific transaction partner. It plans to impose fines in six cases for failing to fulfill the obligation to submit data.
The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety plans to continue a pan-government response to hoarding in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Korean National Police Agency. Violating goods may be confiscated or the equivalent value may be collected under relevant laws.