Authorities arrested four people in Makati City for allegedly selling counterfeit anti-cancer medications with an estimated value of nearly P102 million, the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) said.

PNP-CIDG director Maj. Gen. Robert Rodriguez II said the suspects were apprehended during a sting operation after they were caught selling the fraudulent drugs at a hotel.

The operation was launched following a complaint from a Singapore-based pharmaceutical company.

The firm reported that counterfeit versions of its anti-cancer products were circulating in the Philippines and being sold on the black market for as little as P7,500 per vial.

Legitimate versions of the medication typically retail in major pharmacies for between P135,000 and P200,000 per vial, according to authorities.

During the bust, operatives seized four boxes of the suspected counterfeit drugs.

The suspects are currently in police custody. They face charges for violating the Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009, the Special Law on Counterfeit Drugs, and the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines.