Truck Full of Life Saving Medications Stolen in Kentucky

A truckload of pharmaceuticals was stolen from a rest area in Florence, Kentucky on November 11 with an estimated value of several million dollars.

Securingpharma.com reports that the products included the antihypertensives, anticoagulants, aripiprazole for schizophrenia, HIV drugs and an antiplatelet medication.

The plain white truck was left unattended for 15 minutes on the edge of a full rest area by the driver and passenger in Kentucky. Evidence from the scene indicated the thieves broke the lower window on the passenger side, reports Securingpharma.com.

Barry Conlon, chief executive of logistics security specialist FreightWatch International, said that FreightWatch has recorded 27 pharmaceutical theft incidents. For comparison the company recorded 46 stolen drug shipments in 2008, with an average loss value of $1.3m, reports Securingpharma.com.

Freightwatch International also reported that Brazilian cargo thieves are targeting pharmaceutical shipments in 2010, according to Supply Chain Review. Drug cargo thieves double revenues on stolen pharamaceuticals, according to Freightwatch, by removing the genuine product from its packaging and selling the drugs and the packaging separately, the latter to be filled with counterfeit drugs.