The Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has arrested three people with a large quantity of counterfeit and unauthorised medicines and equipment allegedly used to manufacture pharmaceutical products in the capital's Mohammadpur area.

The arrestees are Abdullah Al-Mamun, 42, Md Saju, 33, and Md Sajib, 26.

DMP Additional Commissioner (DB) Md Shafiqul Islam disclosed the information at a press briefing at the DMP Media Centre on Wednesday.

He said a DB team of the Wari Division conducted a raid on a flat in Block-C of Dhaka Udyan Road in Mohammadpur on Tuesday based on intelligence information and arrested the trio.

The seized items included syrups, capsules, shampoos, face wash, hygiene wash, soaps, powders and tablets, along with empty wrappers, bottles, labels and other packaging materials.

Among the seized items were also 192 bottles of KIDZ Omega Liquid syrup, 100 boxes of LACTOFLEX capsules, 300 sheets of Osearc-CD capsules, 800 bottles of KIDICARE Syrup Plus, 70 bottles of Pedia Vox Kid Syrup, 10 bottles of Nutramide Syrup, 30 Facy GLOW Face Washes and 150 Detox Plus Shampoos.

The DB also seized 300 unlabeled syrup bottles, 100 unlabeled white tablets, 500 empty green capsule shells, 400 white plastic containers and various empty wrappers and labels.

Three cylinders, two capsule-filling machines, six capsule-filling machine components and two labelling moulds were also seized.

The value of the seized items has been estimated at Tk 1 crore.

Shafiqul Islam said some of the seized products were intended for children and could pose serious risks to their lives and health.

He said some of the medicines found during the raid are not commonly available in Bangladesh and are suspected to have been imported from a neighbouring country.

The DB is also investigating whether the foreign medicines were legally imported and whether the medicines were supplied to dispensaries or other sales outlets.

According to the DB, the arrestees told investigators that they had been involved in the business for over three months. The flat used for the operation had also been rented about three months ago.

A case has been filed against the three with Mohammadpur Police Station under the Special Powers Act.