West africa : 420 tonnes of counterfeit drugs seized

CLAVIERES VIRGINIE/SIPA

Published the 30.08.2017 at 17h08

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fake médicamentsAfrique of the OuestcontrefaçonInterpol

More than 420 tons of illegal medicines were seized by Interpol, during an operation in West Africa called Heera. The participation of more than 1 150 police officers and customs officers has been necessary to dismantle the clandestine laboratories and distribution chains in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’ivoire, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Togo.

Actions have also been carried out in markets, shops, pharmacies, as well as in warehouses and vehicles. They have enabled the seizure of 47 million tablets, antibiotics, analgesics or anti-malarial and 13 000 cartons full of pharmaceuticals illegal, such as vitamins or food supplements. An input of a value of € 20 million. Some 150 people have also been arrested.

“Operations such as Heera does not protect only the population of products, and potentially toxic, they also enable the dismantling of the networks that are often involved in other crimes,” said Tim Morris, the director of police services of Interpol.

700 000 deaths per year

A success enabled by the cooperation between the services of Interpol and the policies of each african country. “In addition to dismantling these criminal networks, the operation plays a crucial role in warning the public of the risks of fake drugs,” reports Oumar Liked Toe, secretary general of the committee for the fight against trafficking of counterfeit medicines from the Ivory Coast.

Because the consequences of trafficking are, unfortunately, well known. In the world, 700,000 people die each year because of these products. In 2013, the sale of fake anti-malarial drugs has caused the death of more than 122 000 children under 5 years of age on the african continent.

Deaths that do not prevent the trafficking of counterfeit drugs to make a profit. According to the Institute for international research anti-counterfeit medicines (IRACM), it would be more lucrative than drug trafficking.

Find the show’s guest health with Wilfrid Rogé
(Research institute of Anti-counterfeit medicines)
released on June 22, 2016