Health experts claim terrorists cashing in on counterfeit medicine
Director of Medical Services, Dr Nicholas Muraguri throws a carton of counterfeit drugs into an incinerator at the Ever Green warehouse in Nairobi. Researchers meeting in Nairobi on August 31, 2016 said terrorists are cashing in on counterfeit medicine since the field is more lucrative compared to selling narcotics. PHOTO | ELIZABETH MERAB | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Fight against fake drugs was hampered by a weak legal framework.
- The penalty in Kenya for those dealing in counterfeit medicine is, for instance, a jail term of six months and a fine of about Sh20,000.
Terrorists have resorted to using proceeds from counterfeit medicines to fund their activities, a forum in Mombasa heard on Wednesday.
Addressing delegates during a seminar on curbing counterfeits, Mr Wilfred Roge, the director of studies at the Institute of Research against Counterfeit Medicines, said terrorists were now finding it easier to fund their operations using money earned from counterfeit medicine.
“If you, for instance, invest $1,000 (Sh100,000) in cocaine, you earn $20,000 (Sh2 million) but if the same money is invested in counterfeit medicine, the returns can exceed $200,000 (Sh20 million),” he said, adding that the high turnover was encouraging criminals to do this business.
But the fight against fake drugs was hampered by a weak legal framework, where penalties are lenient besides lack of information among consumers, he said.
The penalty in Kenya for those dealing in counterfeit medicine is, for instance, a jail term of six months and a fine of about Sh20,000, which is not deterrent enough, said Mr Athman Hemed, an inspector at the Kenya Pharmacy and Poisons Board.
The workshop held at Pride Inn Hotel in Shanzu discussed the fight against counterfeits.
