Pharmacist claims to be fraud victim

File photo / Martin Sykes

An Auckland pharmacist who was allegedly unable to account for tens of thousands of tablets that can be used to make illegal drugs has been charged with professional misconduct.

Arief Katamat was the proprietor and charge pharmacist of three White Swan pharmacies, in Mt Roskill, Mt Eden and Balmoral. He was also the sole responsible pharmacist at the Mt Roskill store. The chain is now in liquidation.

Discrepancies were found in the records for pseudoephedrine, a precursor chemical of the illegal drug P, and for codeine, which can be made into home-bake heroin substitute.

The charge against Mr Katamat by a Pharmacy Council professional conduct committee covers the sale of prescription medicines without prescriptions, including Viagra for impotence, PrOpecia for hair-loss and Reductil for weight-loss.

He denies this and many other allegations and claims that he is the victim of fraud by several people, including staff members.

The council suspended his practising certificate in July 2009.

Health Ministry official David Sinclair yesterday told the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal hearing, which is scheduled to conclude tomorrow, that a report was sought from medicines supplier Pharmacy Retailing on the three pharmacies' purchases in the 12 months to April 30, 2009, after a White Swan employee's complaint. It indicated large purchases of Sudomyl, Viagra, Cialis, Reductil, codeine phosphate and PrOpecia.

Mr Sinclair said that during unannounced visits, numerous discrepancies were found in the Mt Roskill store's controlled drugs register.

Asked by prosecuting lawyer Hayden Wilson to rate the register, Mr Sinclair said: "This would be one of the worst I have seen.

"At Mt Roskill pharmacy alone 19,456 Sudomyl tablets were unable to be accounted for stock purchased and dispensed during the period June 3, 2008 to June 3, 2009. This was of particular concern to us due to the size of the discrepancy and the fact that the pseudoephedrine contained in Sudomyl is a precursor to other illegal drugs."

"The inspections of the [three] pharmacies showed that 26,261 Sudomyl tablets were unaccounted for. Mr Katamat did not hold a wholesale licence."

But Mr Katamat's lawyer, Seth Dalgleish, dismissed many of the allegations against his client and said all the evidence against him was circumstantial.

The case would leave a misplaced stigma on Mr Katamat that he had supplied gangs. "He knows no gang persons ... he's very much the victim of fraud."