Policy/Enforcement News
14,000 Smuggled Pills Seized in Transit from Singapore to Mumbai
Indian Customs Official seized 14,000 misoprostol tables from a Mumbai resident who arrived at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport from Singapore on January 31, 2011. Officers apprehended the suspect, Yusuf Masalawala, 54, while evading customs by going through the “green channel,” which indicates no customs declaration. Customs officials said that no medicine conveyed without declaration is allowed…
[...]Internet Pharmacy Extorted $85,000 from Missouri Victim in DEA Impersonation Scam
The United States Attorney’s Office has indicted eleven Dominicans involved in a criminal conspiracy to threaten and extort money from American internet pharmacy customers by impersonating government agents. Investigators received over 1,000 complaints from American victims who paid imposters hundreds of thousands of dollars as so-called “fines” to prevent prosecution for purchasing drugs without a…
[...]Ghana Gears up for Drug Resistant Malaria
The World Health Organization’s international plea to contain artemisinin resistance is being heeded by Ghana’s government as it clamps down on fake malaria drug hawkers and increasing vigilance for first signs of the deadly disease. Dr. Felicia Owusu-Antwi, Country Advisor on Malaria for the WHO Ghana office said that while Ghana has no documented evidence…
[...]International Fake Drug Ring Arrest Made by New Zealand Authorities
A three year investigation into the international distribution of fake drugs led to the arrest of a 32 year old Chinese man residing in Wellington, NZ suspected of marketing counterfeit medicine using the internet. Auckland Metro Crime and Operations Support, a New Zealand police agency, announced they arrested the unnamed man and remanded him on…
[...]Philadelphia Woman Pleads Guilty to Importing Illegal Pills
A Philadelphia resident pleaded guilty to an 18 count indictment for the illegal importation and distribution of four million fake diet pills that contained unapproved drugs and carcinogens.
[...]Internet Pharmacy Owner Pleads Guilty to Selling Fake Drugs in US Court
A Belgian citizen, Manuel Calvelo, has pleaded guilty to operating an internet pharmacy that sold $1.4 million worth of misbranded and counterfeit drugs as well as controlled substances in U.S. District Court in Kansas on January 21st, 2011, while a co-conspirator, Jeffrey Westmoreland of Canada, is fugitive. After extradition from Costa Rica, Calvelo was charged…
[...]Chinese Prioritizing Fake Drug Crackdown
In Beijing, the State Food and Drug Administration announced the impounding of 60 tons of fake medical equipment, and the ongoing investigation of seven cases of counterfeit drug production and sale.
[...]Indian Drugs to Carry Barcodes
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade announced new rules requiring medicine manufacturers to put barcodes on all products made for export in order to control for counterfeiting.
[...]Nigerian Pharmacies Selling Fake Antibiotics Shut Down
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has shut down numerous pharmacies selling fake drugs in Benue state.
[...]7,000 Pills Vanished in Pharmacy Theft
A Northeast Florida pharmacist has been charged with the theft of 7,000 prescription painkiller pills from a Rite Aid drug store that are still missing.
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