Bangkok Police Focusing on Deadly Counterfeit Items, Like Fake Drugs, in 2011

In an interview with the Bangkok Post, Police Colonel Pravesana Mulpramook, director of the Department of Special Investigation's (DSI) Intellectual Property Crime Bureau, said that 2011 is the year for them to focus on fake drug distribution within Thailand. ''Many products are imported from China, such as medicine and especially cosmetics, which are in demand because they are 10 times cheaper than the original. Many people using them will damage their appearances, or, in the case of medicines in particular, their health,'' he said. ''This is my top priority,'' reported The Post. The US Trade Representative (USTR) Office's has identified Thailand as a high priority watch for the past four years, and despite its efforts to battle fakes, noted that "piracy and counterfeiting remain widespread." Pantip Plaza, Khlong Thom, Saphan Lek, and Ban Mor shopping areas, MBK, as well as the commercial districts of Patpong, wider Silom, and Sukhumvit were identified as "notorious markets" for fake goods. (Partnership for Safe Medicines, January 4, 2011; Link here)

India: Madras High Court Upholds Spurious Drug Sellers Detention

In Chennai, India, the Madras High Court, one of the three high courts of India, justices heard a petition from 13 defendants accused of re-selling expired medicines. The 13 defendants had submitted written petitions challenging their detention, which was dismissed by the Justices Elipe Dharmarao and D Hariparanthaman who said that the detainees alleged crimes were shocking and posed a danger to public health. "The detention orders passed in these cases are precise, pertinent, proximate and relevant, without any vagueness or staleness," the bench observed. They added that the concern for public health and general society weighed heavily against the defendants' release, reported the Times of India. The detainees are accused of collecting expired medicine and returning them to the pharmaceutical retail market as valid drugs by altering the batch numbers and expiration dates. (Partnership for Safe Medicines, December 30, 2010; Link here)

Morocco: Officials Initiate Counterfeit Drug Inspections

Moroccan health officials are working with the fraud prevention departments within the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Internal Affairs to increase drug store inspections. The Health Minister, Yasmina Baddou, told parliament on November 24th that the inter-ministry cooperation will try to stop drugs being sold outside the legal market and to raise public awareness of the health dangers of fake drug consumption, reported Magharebia on December 28th, 2010. The Health Ministry reminded parliament that all medicines produced in Morocco, as well as those imported legally, comply with regulations, and are subject to testing by The National Laboratory for the Examination of Medicines to ensure that drugs quality standards. (Partnership for Safe Medicines, December 29, 2010; Link here)

Hong Kong Customs Shames Counterfeiters

The Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department has promised to crack down on fake drug sellers and publicly publish the name of pharmacies and retails who are caught with them. Thomas Lin Shun-yin, head of investigations for the Department of Intellectual Property said that while the number of raw number of fake drugs seized in 2010 is less than in 2009, the street value of said products rose 50%, reported the Hong Kong Standard. In 2009, 46 cases were investigated, while only 22 were in 2010, however with an increase in total value of HK$1.62 million. In relation to these twenty-two cases, 37 people have been arrested. Lin said that the counterfeiters had packaged the drugs such that they were difficult to identify. (Partnership for Safe Medicines, December 28, 2010; Link here)