HSA Seized Over 970,000 Units of Illegal Health Products and Removed More Than 7,000 Illegal Product Listings in 2024

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has continued to step up ground and online surveillance efforts to curb the sale and supply of illegal health products in the past year. Coordinated efforts involving targeted operations, intelligence sharing, and joint enforcement with both local and overseas agencies led to the seizure of 970,707 units of illegal health products and the removal of 7,351 listings from local e-commerce and social media platforms. This multi-pronged approach has disrupted the supply of illegal health products and protected the public from potential harm posed by these products.

Proactive ground operations at hotspots

2        Codeine cough syrup made up the majority (54%) of illegal products seized, followed by sexual enhancement medicines (19%), sedatives (18%), and other prescription medicines (9%) (Figure 2.1). 64 persons were investigated for illegal supply of health products. These cases are undergoing investigation.

Figure 2.1: Types of illegal health products seized from 2022 to 2024

3        One of the notable seizures took place in May 2024, when HSA and the Singapore Police Force (SPF) mounted an operation against the illegal manufacture and supply of cough syrups in a condominium unit in Geylang¹. The cough syrups were manufactured in unsanitary conditions in different parts of the unit, including the bathroom and kitchen sink. Approximately 165 litres of cough syrups and more than 57,000 units of assorted medicines with a street value of $130,000 were seized. All seized products were meant for illegal supply in Geylang.

7,351 product listings removed from local e-commerce and social media platforms

4        In 2024, HSA worked with the administrators of local e-commerce and social media platforms to take down 7,351 listings of illegal health products. Almost half of the number of listings taken down were a result of HSA's first large-scale collaboration² with local online platform administrators in September and October 2024 that targeted illegal online sales and sellers. This operation built on the close collaboration that HSA has established with Amazon Singapore, Carousell, eBay Singapore, Facebook, Lazada, Qoo10, Shopee and TikTok. HSA also issued warnings to 2,868 online sellers in 2024.

5        The majority of listings removed (37%) were products marketing aesthetic enhancement of skin and hair including dermal fillers, Botulinum toxin, skin whitening, acne treatment and hair loss treatment products. 24% were for contact lenses, 7% were for the management of chronic conditions such as cholesterol, hypertension, allergies and pain relief, 5% were contraceptives, 4% were sexual enhancement or male vitality products, 3% were weight loss products and 3% were antibiotics. Other listings detected in small numbers included eye drops, nasal sprays, antihistamines, test kits and other prescription medicines (Figure 5.1). The listings were posted mainly on Shopee (52%) and Lazada (36%). Other affected listings were detected on Carousell (4%) and Qoo10 (4%).

Figure 5.1: Types of products detected and removed from local e-commerce and social media platforms in 2024

 6        HSA and platform administrators have continued to work together to strengthen the surveillance systems to stop potentially offending product listings from being posted.

Prosecution actions against the sale and supply of illegal health products

7        In 2024, HSA prosecuted 30 persons for the sale and supply of illegal health products. Some notable cases were as follows:

• In January 2024, Rasel Md, 33, was caught for the illegal possession of cough syrups, sedatives and opioids, with the intention to sell them in Geylang. Investigations revealed that he was recruited by a syndicate to peddle the illegal products for a daily pay of $100. During the course of investigations, he re-offended twice. He was prosecuted and sentenced to 31 weeks’ imprisonment.

• In September 2024, Peh Zhisheng Gabriel, 33, was fined $266,500 for importing counterfeit cosmetics and selling them on local e-commerce platforms. The case was uncovered in July 2023, when the Intellectual Property Rights Branch of SPF raided an apartment unit and seized 126 types of branded cosmetic products which were later confirmed to be counterfeits. HSA’s investigations revealed that Peh had sourced the counterfeit cosmetics from China-based suppliers and imported them to Singapore without verifying their authenticity or safety. He listed the counterfeit products through multiple accounts on Lazada and Shopee. Even after receiving several warnings from the platform administrators about the suspected counterfeit products and having his accounts banned, he persisted to sell the products by using his family members’ particulars to create new accounts and earned about $10,000 monthly.

8        HSA will take stern enforcement actions against anyone who sells or supplies illegal health products. Sellers and suppliers who are selling such products are liable to be prosecuted and if convicted, may be imprisoned for up to 3 years and/or fined up to $100,000.

Illegal health products found to contain potent ingredients and/or banned substances

9        In 2024, HSA issued public alerts on 14 illegal health products, which included a counterfeit probiotic health supplement. These cases were detected through adverse event reporting from healthcare professionals, regular surveillance, and feedback from consumers. Thirteen persons reported adverse effects experienced by themselves and/or their family members.

10       Thirteen of these products were found to contain potent ingredients and/or banned substances, while the counterfeit probiotic health supplement did not contain the purported probiotic strain. The most common adulterants detected were sibutramine (a banned substance since 2010) and potent steroids such as dexamethasone and betamethasone valerate. Sibutramine was detected in five products marketed for weight loss, while potent steroids were found in seven products marketed for pain relief, eczema relief, skin whitening and general wellbeing. Please refer to the Annex for the list of these illegal health products, their associated health or lifestyle claims, where they were purchased, information on the potent ingredients and/or banned substances they contain, and photos of these products.

Three consumers hospitalised due to serious adverse effects from illegal products

11       A man in his 50s had been taking “Sausando Cellulite Pills”³ for five months and was hospitalised after he experienced seizures (fits), hyponatraemia (low level of sodium in blood) and vomiting. The product was marketed as a “natural health food” weight loss product with exaggerated claims such as “lose weight fast in 7 days” but was found to contain the banned substance sibutramine, a laxative and a diuretic.

12       A woman in her 30s was hospitalised after using “88 Total White Underarm Cream”3 which was touted to whiten and smoothen the skin. After a month of use, she developed a severe rash over her body and liver impairment with raised liver enzymes and jaundice. Due to the exposure to a high level of mercury, she was diagnosed with allergic contact dermatitis and drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (also known as DRESS syndrome), a severe hypersensitivity reaction characterised by skin rash, blood abnormalities and injury to the liver and/or kidney, which can be life-threatening.

13       After taking “ayukalp Mahayograj Guggulu”⁴ for about one and a half months for back pain, a woman in her 30s started experiencing fatigue, chest discomfort, and shortness of breath during physical activity. The product was tested by HSA to contain lead at a level exceeding 6,000 times the permissible limit for traditional medicines. Exposure to high levels of lead may cause abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, anaemia, liver inflammation and brain injury. Over the long term, it may also cause toxic effects to the kidneys, digestive and nervous systems. Adjunct Assistant Professor Pankaj Handa, Senior Consultant from the Department of General Medicine from Tan Tock Seng Hospital, who treated the woman, advised, “Traditional health products may contain unintended substances in the amounts that can cause toxicity and damage to health. Patients are strongly advised to seek help from a healthcare professional, a pharmacist or physician, before consuming any such preparation.”

Young children experienced unexpected or adverse effects associated with illegal health products

14       HSA was alerted by a member of the public to “Special Skin Treatment”⁵ after she noticed unexpectedly quick and significant improvement in her children’s eczema within 5 days of using the product. The skin cream was sold on the now inactive “touchskin.com.sg” website and marketed to relieve skin conditions such as eczema. It claimed to contain natural ingredients and not steroids, and to be safe for babies, young children, pregnant women, and anyone with sensitive skin. However, HSA tested it to contain clobetasol propionate, a potent steroid. Creams containing such potent steroids for treatment of skin conditions should only be prescribed by doctors for use under medical supervision.

15       A consumer in his 40s alerted HSA to counterfeit “LACTOGG”⁶ capsules when he and his family members experienced adverse effects after taking the product. He and his wife experienced abdominal discomfort, vomiting and diarrhoea while their 2-year-old child developed high fever and had abnormal-coloured faeces. HSA’s analysis revealed that the capsules did not contain the probiotic strain that was listed on the packaging. The capsules were verified by the company to be counterfeit. The product packaging was also observed to have poor quality printing. The consumer had purchased it on Shopee from a seller who was selling these capsules at a much lower price compared to the genuine product sold in healthcare institutions, clinics, pharmacies and established retailers.

Consumer advisory

16       Associate Professor Chan Cheng Leng, Group Director of HSA’s Health Products Regulation Group, emphasises, “Health products that have previously been detected to contain harmful ingredients may resurface for sale under different packaging to evade detection by the Authority. Consumers need to be aware that illegal health products often masquerade as quick fixes and miracle cures. In reality, they may be ticking time bombs as they can harm your health.  While HSA will continue to maintain its surveillance and enforcement to curb the sale and supply of illegal health products, consumers need to be careful and discerning when purchasing health products.”

17       Consumers are advised to follow the steps below to stay A-L-E-R-T to protect their health.

18       Members of the public who have any information on the sale and supply of these illegal health products may contact HSA's Enforcement Branch at Tel: 6866-3485 during office hours (Monday to Friday) or email: hsa_is@hsa.gov.sg.

HEALTH SCIENCES AUTHORITY
SINGAPORE
3 FEBRUARY 2025

Download PDF version here [PDF, 1.7 MB]

¹ https://www.hsa.gov.sg/announcements/hsa-and-police-raid-condo-unit-suspected-to-be-used-for-manufacture-of-cough-syrup

² https://www.hsa.gov.sg/announcements/hsa-removes-over-3-000-online-listings-of-illegal-health-products-in-first-joint-operation-with-online-platforms

³ https://www.hsa.gov.sg/announcements/hsa-alert-three-products-found-with-banned-or-potent-ingredients

⁴ https://www.hsa.gov.sg/announcements/hsa-alert-ayukalp-mahayograj-guggulu-counterfeit-lactogg

⁵ https://www.hsa.gov.sg/announcements/hsa-alert--three-products-found-with-potent-medicinal-ingredients

⁶ https://www.hsa.gov.sg/announcements/hsa-alert-ayukalp-mahayograj-guggulu-counterfeit-lactogg