The Prince Rupert RCMP is worried that someone in the city is selling bee pollen capsules that have been banned by Health Canada because of their serious health risks.
Anyone who may have bought them is being asked to turn the pills in to a pharmacy so they can be properly disposed of.
According to the RCMP, officers with the Prince Rupert Border Integrity Program found bottles of “ZXT Gold” bee pollen capsules during an investigation.
ZXT Gold is sold as a homeopathic aid for weight loss. The pills’ distributor, Floyd Nutrition, advertises that the pills “were created utilizing ancient principles and new-age technologies in an effort to help combat an age old problem – excess weight.”
According to the company’s website the pills contain bee pollen and other ingredients like Chinese yam, lotus seed and Barbary wolfberry fruit. What it doesn’t say is that the pills also contain sibutramine and phenolphthalein.
According to Health Canada, sibutramine was once used to help treat obesity but it can no longer be sold in Canada because it increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Phenolphthalein on the other hand, was once used as a laxative and is also banned from being sold because it can cause cancer and gastrointestinal bleeding.
That said, Health Canada has had no reports of adverse reaction to ZXT Gold, but have told Floyd Nutrition to remove the product from Canadian markets.
Now the RCMP believe they are being sold on the black market in Prince Rupert. The police are asking people with information on who is selling the pills to contact the detachment or call Crime Stoppers.