Police arrested nine suspects and seized antiviral drugs used in treating Covid-19 that were allegedly stolen by a hospital manager.

Pol Col Neti Wongkularb, superintendent of the nation’s consumer protection police, said on Wednesday the suspects were arrested Tuesday in coordinated raids in Bangkok, Saraburi, Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi.

Police seized 390 boxes each containing 100 favipiravir pills under the trademark Favir made by the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO).

The superintendent said the gang sold the antiviral medication online. The manager of a hospital in Bang Na area of Bangkok illegally supplied the drug, which the hospital earlier acquired from the GPO.

The manager charged 1,600 baht per box and online vendors resold it at 4,000-8,000 baht per box.

All names were withheld by police.

Supatra Boonserm, acting secretary-general of the Food and Drug Administration, said favipiravir must be administered under the close supervision of doctors and should not be sold directly to consumers.

People who bought the drug to self-medicate could, because of incorrect dosage, develop resistance to favipiravir’s effects and even be at risk of death.

She said patients in need of it would receive the drug free of charge from the government.