It has since become known that Interpol carried out numerous operations against the illegal trade with counterfeited medications in 13 Asian countries* under the code name “Storm VI” in September of last year. Various police and oversight authorities on location supported Interpol’s efforts. During the operation, counterfeited goods with a value of some 7 million US dollars (roughly 6.4 million euro) were confiscated.
The imitation medicines included antibiotics, blood-pressure reducers, diet pills, rabies vaccines, and potency medicines. Nearly 500 pharmacies and businesses as well as some 100 online pharmacies were investigated in the course of the operation. Investigators were able to arrest 87 suspects.
„Operation Storm VI demonstrated the sophistication and determination of criminal groups engaged in pharmaceutical crime,“ explained Aline Plançon, director of Interpol’s Global Health and Safety Unit. „There is therefore a need for increased cooperation and information sharing on crimes related to falsified and illicit medical products being manufactured, transported and sold in the Asian region.“
Soe Myaing, the Brigadier General of the police in Myanmar, agrees: „We have shared our knowledge and experiences and encouraged more cooperation between Interpol and member countries at the regional and international levels. We are looking forward to future cooperation to prevent pharmaceutical crimes.“
The newest Interpol operation is one in a series of successes in the fight against product and brand piracy. The most recent operation against pharmaceutical criminality was executed on a global scale (see our German-language report).
* The following countries participated in Storm VI: Afghanistan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam
