Man arrested at King Shaka International Airport after he was found to be in possession of Ivermectin tablets

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has arrested a 43-year-old man for being in possession of Ivermectin tablets worth a market value of R100 000-00.

The man had just arrived in the country from Dubai.

He was found with 2 464 tablets in his hand luggage at the King Shaka International Airport.

The SAPS can confirm that the said medicine is not registered with the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA).

According to SAHPRA, Ivermectin is not indicated nor approved for use in humans. Furthermore, there is no confirmatory data on Ivermectin available as yet for its use in the management of COVID-19 infections.

The man has already appeared before the Verulam Magistrates Court where he has been charged with being in possession of unregistered medicines and the importation of medicines without a valid permit.

The case has been postponed to Friday, 08 January 2020, for a formal bail application.