By Timothy Malumo

 

The Zambia Police last week joined other Interpol member countries in the southern region in an International operation dubbed “Giboia 2” in a bid to complement efforts in reducing levels of counterfeit pharmaceutical products on the Zambian market.

The operation which was coordinated and monitored by Interpol Headquarters in France was carried out simultaneously with seven other countries in Southern Africa on Thursday, 20^th August, 2015 and Friday, 21^st August, 2015.

The Zambian operation was coordinated by the Zambia Police Intellectual Property Unity (IPU) and it included other law enforcement and cooperating agencies such as Drug Enforcement Commission, Ministry of Health, Lusaka City Council and Zambia Medicine Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA).

During the first day of the operation, officers invaded Lusaka based townships targeting illegal drug stores where a number of fake pharmaceutical products were seized.

On the following day of the operation, officers pounced on wholesalers at Kamwala trading centre and managed to confiscate a variety of the fake products.

The other provinces in Zambia that participated in the operation include Eastern, Southern and Copperbelt provinces.

Among the products confiscated are cough mixtures, Anti- biotics, Anti malaria drugs, diprosone cream/lotion, Betasole, epiderm and other creams containing clobetasole, cotrimazole and other medicines.

Others are injectable and drugs containing sildenafil.

The first operation was called Giboia 1 was conducted in 2013.

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