Over One and A Half Million Counterfeit Medicines Reach Algeria

Over one and a half million counterfeit medicines with forged marks were seized in the Paris International Charles de Gaulle Airport, which is the most used transit for smuggling a large quantity of these medications by 88%, through the “bags” merchants and companies of post transfer, report by the French Security and Customs Services shows.

Algeria is considered the first African country, which is threatened by these medications that are smuggled by organized cells, as many people were arrested, especially since they are working in collusion of Algerian hospitals and doctors.

Head of the National Directorate for Customs’ Infirmation and Investigations, “DNRED”,  Mr. Frederic Laforet, told Echorouk: “Algeria is threatened with the phenomenon of counterfeit medications, which invaded Europe as well. Algeria is not immune from the Mafia of counterfeit medication. It is a source of concern in Algeria, especially since most of medicines pass from Europe to Algeria, but in recent years and in cooperation with the Algerian customs’ authorities, which were successful and positive from the first contact, we were able to investigate the suspicious files, and thus the prosecution of their owners. In 2012 we received information from Algeria about the presence of large batches of hundreds of counterfeit medical prescriptions by doctors in Oran (western Algeria), but we succeeded in arresting 13 accused.”

“Most of the counterfeit medical prescriptions contained a dangerous medicine called “Anxiolytique”, that is used particularly for acute mental and neurological illness.”

“Some places are used as markets for some types of drugs but the Algerian customs did not pay attention to them, although they would cause a danger. Currently there are, over the next shipping line from China or from India, new outlets for carrying post couriers for these electronic medication. there are not necessary to reach Algeria by the French city of Marseille, as it is known, but they can use the corridor of Malta. Algeria can not neglect it, especially through the border with Morocco, such as what happened in 2008 and 2009, and with Mali and Niger, southern Algeria’s borders.”

“In other operations, over 70 kilograms of counterfeit medicines were seized for skin whitening in 2015, as they contain the dangerous substance of “cortisone”, which was in possession of an Algerian passengers, who is arriving from Algeria towards Paris. There is also the risk of trading and consumption of counterfeit food supplements through the Internet, which are naturally circulating in Algeria. As over 1200 units of dietary supplements were seized in 2016, and they contained tonic Viagra, some of which is dedicated to building muscles, and contained substances that are banned on the market, and what is intended for slimming weight like the dangerous medicine “Reductil”, a drug for appetite suppressant  and which is banned worldwide, as it causes high blood pressure and poses a risk in the fluctuation of heart rate and increase of heart and cervical strokes”.

In a telephone conversation, on Monday, with Lieutenant Colonel, Christian Touri, from the Bureau of European Affairs and International Cooperation, and who is Member of the Commission of European Experts, which belongs to the European Council, on the reduction of health risks that are associated with counterfeit medicines and crime, he said: “Counterfeit medical prescriptions can be secured but in limited time, which is only a month of use, and the first investigations resulted in the dismantling of an Algerian cell for smuggling medicines, which includes 13 people on May,23, 2014, including a couple, and were referred to the court of regions north of the French city of Lille.

“Rivotril Medicine is largely consumed abundance by prescriptions, and is used in Algeria as a hallucinogenic drug pill, which is known as the “drug of rapists”, and is normally used by people who  suffer psychiatric illness and epilepsy.”

“Investigation began in 2011, when security services arrested a couple who were coming from Algeria in possession of counterfeit medical prescriptions that were signed by Algerians and Moroccan doctors for the purchase of 26 cans from “Le maitre Pharmacie in Lille.”

“Secret investigations were launched into this matter, and found that the gang bought counterfeit medicines which does not contain the appropriate doses that are accepted for the treatment of epilepsy, causing significant damage like skin allergy and chronic kidney disease.”