BEIJING (AP) - Police in China have seized more than 65 million fake pills and arrested 114 suspects during a four-month investigation into counterfeit drugs.
The Ministry of Public Security said in a statement Friday that a criminal network extending over eight provinces used starch or corn powder to make fake medicines and repackaged drugs past their use-by dates.
The ministry says police also found animal feed, chemical pigments and other ingredients that are harmful to people.
Police started the investigation after discovering that a woman in central Henan province had substituted genuine medicines with fake products in pharmacies.
The ministry says 1,000 police officers broke up 117 dens that produced or sold fake medicine via websites or advertisements.