Mosman pharmacist jailed over vaccine supply
Pharmacist Katherine Gong was hoping to walk out of court with a fine for illegally supplying more than 2000 cervical cancer vaccines for overseas export, but magistrate Jennifer Atkinson said her crimes were “objectively so serious”.
NSW
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A Sydney pharmacist has been jailed after she illegally supplied more than 2000 cervical cancer vaccines for overseas export at a profit of about $30,000.
Katherine Gong was sentenced in Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to three charges of prohibition on wholesale supply of certain substances.
The 35-year-old was hoping to walk out of the court with a fine, but magistrate Jennifer Atkinson said her crimes were “objectively so serious” before she sentenced her to eight months’ jail with six months’ non parole.
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Gong is the sole proprietor of the Harmony Pharmacy and Wellness Clinic at Mosman.
The vaccine is used to vaccinate young women from a range of potentially deadly sexually transmitted diseases.
NSW Organised Crime squad detectives, working with Australian Federal Police and the Australian Border Force, allegedly uncovered the illegal activity during an international investigation into money laundering.
They arrested a 31-year-old male associate of Gong who they claim exported the Gardasil to Hong Kong.
When approached by The Daily Telegraph at the Mosman business in October Gong said “obviously I cannot comment” about the charges.
The estimated retail value of the drugs is around $500,000 in Australia and a lot more on the black market in Hong Kong.
Gardasil 9 injections are given to young women to prevent them contracting deadly cancers spread through sexual contact.
Originally published as Mosman pharmacist jailed over vaccine supply
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