Medicines across the border: Hong Kong pharmacies that deliver drugs to mainland China may be sidestepping the law
- Surge in China’s Covid-19 infection rate moves Hongkongers to send medicines to families, friends
- Pharmacies use logistics companies, couriers to get around need for licence to export medicines
Pharmacies are taking legal risks by offering to deliver medicine to people in mainland China, which has suffered a surge in Covid-19 infections, with customs officials saying unlicensed export of drugs is illegal.
The news came after pandemic restrictions on the mainland last week were eased, which triggered a jump in demand for painkillers and other medicine used to treat Covid-19 symptoms, and many cities have reported serious shortages.
Some Hong Kong residents have snapped up the drugs at city pharmacies to send to friends and relatives across the border, and many have used the firms’ mailing services.
But the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department said the export of medicines needed a licence from the Department of Health and only those with a drug trader licence could apply for it.
Travellers with medicines in their bags might be exempted from that requirement if the amount was considered reasonable, it added.
Investigations by the Post discovered several pharmacies in the Wan Chai area of the city that offered a mail service, charging HK$100 to HK$180 per kilogram of drugs.
