Its pharmacy enforcement division deputy director (intelligence and operation) Adnan Salimin said the raids were carried out in 88 hotspot areas where 700 premises were categorised as “hardcore” stores selling such products.

“Those hotspots are the focal points in the city centres and small towns, apart from being the focus of foreign nationals.

“Areas such as Felda settlements and Felcra as well as the public transport hub for buses and trains are also included in these hotspots,” he told Bernama.

Adnan said four major unregistered medicines seized this year were slimming products worth RM961,595, followed by sexual stimulants (RM530,616), painkillers (RM376,680) and beauty injection products (RM137,187).

“Most of the painkillers were imported while other medicines were illegally produced,” he said.

These include steroids for pain relief products, sibutramine for slimming products, sildenafil and tadalafil for sex stimulants and hydroquinone for beauty injection.

A total of 40 complaints of adverse drug reaction were recorded nationwide this year.

Adnan said the division would continue combating the sale of unregistered medicines despite facing an uphill battle in tracking down those who sold the products online and the locations of illegal factories.

“We have also implemented an initiative under the DiPS (educate, surveillance, raid) programme under the Pharmacy Programme Strategic Plan 2017-2020,” he said.

In 2016, the value of seized unregistered medicines was at RM47 million from 1,396 raids. This increased to RM68.8 million from 1,405 raids in 2017.