Policy/Enforcement News

Customs officers in New Zealand recently seized more than 400 packages that were suspected of containing counterfeit drugs as part of an international, week-long effort to crack down on the sale of fake medicines from online pharmacies. According to Stuff.co.nz, 34 of the parcels seized by the country's Medsafe organization were confiscated because they either were…

A North Carolina sheriff is warning residents of a phone scam being perpetrated by people claiming to be Drug Enforcement Administration agents, targeting people who have used online pharmacies. Carteret County Sheriff Asa Buck said the caller tells the victim that such purchases are illegal, and now they must pay a fine. In most cases,…

The government of South Korea recently revealed that it had seized $5.58 billion worth of counterfeit goods since 2006, including a substantial quantity of fake medicines. According to a report submitted by the Korea Customs Service to the Strategy and Finance Committee of the National Assembly, $157.8 million of fake drugs had been seized by…

The European Union loses more than €50 billion each year because of healthcare fraud, including the provision of counterfeit medicines. The European Healthcare Fraud and Corruption Network (EHFCN) recently revealed research at its annual conference in Brussels that fraud in the healthcare system is costing the European Union €50 billion each year, according to EurActiv…

The dangers posed by online pharmacies and the drugs they sell is becoming increasingly well known. However, consumers may overlook the fact that they are dealing with unscrupulous individuals when they buy pet medication over the internet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says that it has found a number of illegal online pharmacies that…

Washington state police recently arrested two people who are suspected of the theft of pharmaceuticals. The two suspects allegedly tried to steal a large metal safe with more than $15,000 in prescription drugs out of an Olympia, Washington, pharmacy, according to the Tacoma News Tribune. Jack Frederick Boysen and Marissa Cathryn Cavanaugh are under suspicion…

Interpol Russia recently announced that it would start a major operation against fake drugs. Rossiyskaya Gazeta announced the operation Monday September 27, 2010. The head of Russia’s Interpol Bureau, General Timur Lakhonin, said that the operation would seek the sources of counterfeit drugs in the country, reports the ITAR-TASS News Agency. “At present, a special…

A task force in Bangkok, Thailand, recently raided four drug store houses and found more than 200 varieties of counterfeit drugs. The task force, made up of police and health officials, were tipped off that the stockrooms in the Din Daeng district were distribution points for fake drugs, according to the Bangkok Post. The drugs…

Federal agents recently seized more than $21 million in counterfeit drugs and other phony items at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. The 10-day operation, dubbed Operation Safe Summer, ran from September 7 to September 17 and saw a wide range of counterfeit products be seized, according to The Cincinnati Equirer. The operation was part of…