9 tons of counterfeit drugs seized In East Africa

Police in eastern Africa seized more than nine tons of counterfeit drugs and arrested 80 people on suspicion of illegal distribution of counterfeit products.

The statement says the operation to identify and apprehend the suspects in the distribution and selling of counterfeit medical products went on for the past two months. Raids and checks were made in more than 300 facilities in Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zanzibar, where presumably the counterfeit goods originated from, RIA-Novosti reports.

Among the seized medical products there were anti-malaria drugs, various vaccines and antibiotics. According to Interpol, the representatives of six countries, which discovered the counterfeit medicines, are planning to meet next week in Zanzibar to discuss the problem of the proliferation of counterfeit drugs on the African continent.

The operation was led by the World Health Organization (WHO).