Chinese Man Nabbed With Counterfeit ARVs

Nairobi, 25 Jan 2019: A Chinese national, Cheng Xun Tian, was arrested by police with more than 100 cartons of fake anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs).

The incident took place in Nairobi on Friday. The police raided Tian’s residence in Kilimani after obtaining a meaningful lead.

The suspect is currently being held at the Kilimani Police Station before being processed to be charged in court.

The suspect has, however, engaged his lawyer Keny Nyaencha and insists he is operating a legal business in the country. He also claims that he is a qualified doctor.

In a video captured by Citizen TV, it was interesting to note that the suspect had some of the drugs labelled “herbal.”

The authorities have launched investigations into the matter.

There have been numerous reports of cases of counterfeit drugs in the Kenyan market. Many scrupulous business people continue to make huge sums of money at the expense of unsuspecting Kenyans.

The incident was rather uncommon in consideration of the fact that the government usually provides free ARV medications to persons infected with HIV in the country.

Such occurrences and reports (of HIV/ AIDS medication) have been uncommon in the country since the time HIV/ AIDS was declared a national disaster in 1999 by the then President Daniel Moi.  

According to the National AIDS Control Council, the prevalence of the disease in the country stands at around 6% with around 1.5 million citizens living with the infection.Kenyans