ARAYAT, Pampanga — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has raided a house in Barangay Telapayong for alleged producing counterfeit vitamins.

According to Mayor Madeth Alejandrino, the house was raided by the NBI after a tip that the children’s vitamins were allegedly being manufactured using household ingredients such as sugar, food coloring, artificial flavorings and were mixed using a washing machine.

Alejandrino was appalled over what she found when her office inspected the house, adding that the owners applied for a business permit from the local government but was only for the distribution of herbal products.

She added that these vitamins were allegedly distributed all over Central Luzon.

“It really is saddening to know that we try to keep a good image for the town of Arayat, then a report about this happens. I do know the owners, their advocacy is health, but this incident is certainly alarming,” she said.

Around P400,000 worth of unregistered vitamins were confiscated by the NBI, with the distribution suspected to reach other areas in Visayas and Mindanao.

Alejandrino urged parents to buy vitamins that are approved by the Department of Health and the Food and Drug Administration.She also urged parents who bought these vitamins to immediately take their children to a doctor and have them examined, and immediately dispose the vitamins.