Chinese authorities arrest 125 over vaccine racket
The prosecution of suspects tied to an illegal national distribution network is ramping up, after hundreds were detained last month
Chinese authorities have arrested 125 people for their alleged roles in an illegal vaccine racket worth half a billion yuan, Xinhua has reported.
The scandal put the national drug regulator under the spotlight and sparked public fears over the safety of the mainland’s vaccine distribution system.
The arrests were made in connection with 190 criminal cases that have been established in 22 provinces, according to an anonymous source from the top prosecutor’s office, Xinhua reported.
In addition, dozens of hospital employees and health officials are being investigated for taking advantage of their position in relation to the incident.
The scandal emerged when mainland media reported a woman in Shandong had bought and sold the vaccines – some of which were near their expiry date – and also improperly stored or transported them. Her distribution syndicate, which was in operation for five years, involved hundreds of dealers in 24 provinces.
Vaccine scandal: hundreds involved across 24 provinces in China
The woman was arrested in April last year, but the case was not made pubic until February.