Over 200 medical shops were raided in the city for allegedly selling masks and hand sanitizers at exorbitant prices, cashing in on soaring demand due to Coronavirus outbreak, police said on March 15.

"On complaints from the public, we raided about 210 drug shops across the city on March 14 and stocks seized for selling masks and sanitizers at twice or thrice the retail price," Bengaluru crime branch deputy commissioner of police (DCP) told IANS here. The police also booked cases against many pharmacies for allegedly selling the essential medical items 2-3 times over the maximum retail price (MRP).

"Though we have not come across any fake unit making them, in the city or state, we have seized about 250 bottles of sanitizers, suspected to be fake from a storage place. We sent the bottles to lab for tests to check if they are genuine for use," he said. "Five shops across the city were also shut for selling the sanitizer liquid bottles illegally and at high cost, he added.

A special drive has been initiated across the city to check and regulate supply of masks and sanitizers to retailers, which have been selling them at higher rates due to their shortage amid rising demand. "Most masks and sanitizers being sold in the city are from units outside Karnataka but available through their dealer network. No facility yet to make them in the state in the organized sector," a health official said.