A coordinated Customs operation seized 113 million illegal pharmaceutical products destined for Sub-Saharan Africa countries.
According to the World Customs Organisation, most of the shipments originated in China or India and were mostly distributed in Benin, Tanzania and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The 10-day Operation Biyela 2 mobilised 14 African Customs organisations to simultaneously inspect hundreds of shipments.
'The number of interceptions effected during this operation shows once again the scope of the scourge of illicit and counterfeit pharmaceutical drugs in Africa', said WCO secretary general, Kunio Mikuriya. 'The response can be described in a nutshell as follows: strengthened cooperation, based particularly on information sharing at the national level, and on the part of Customs authorities, other regulatory agencies and public health officials ñ and at the international level between Customs authorities.'
