A self-employed resident of Virac was arrested Thursday afternoon after trying to sell overpriced ethyl alcohol to a policeman posing as a buyer.
In the operation launched by joint elements of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Catanduanes provincial field unit headed by Lt. Marvin Espolor, the Virac police station, and the Catanduanes Police Intelligence Branch, Frankreton Vicente Dy, 40, was arrested at his residence at San Pablo after receiving payment for the two one-gallon bottles of ethyl alcohol he had sold for P1,200 per gallon.
With each gallon containing 3.875 liters, the price of the liquid used as disinfectant came up to P317 per liter or P158.52 per 500-ml bottle This is more than twice the recommended price range of P61 to P74.45 per 500-ml bottle set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The FDA prohibits the online selling of essential emergency medical supplies beyond the price ceiling or range set by Department Memorandum No. 2020-0058 and 2020-0058-A.
Dy was brought to the CIDG field office for booking procedure and proper disposition along with the P2,400 buy-bust money.