Interpol led operation seized 420 tonnes of fake meds in West Africa

420 tonnes of counterfeit pharmaceuticals have been seized in West Africa in an operation co-ordinated by Interpol.

Interpol shared details of the swoop – codenamed Operation Heera – today, explaining that law enforcement officials and regulators from Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Togo had joined forces to dismantle illicit factories and supply chains.

Some 41 million pills, 13,000 cartons and other medical goods were seized at illegal plants, shops and pharmacies according to Interpol, which als9o confirmed that 150 people had been arrested.

Analgesics, antibiotics and anti-malarial drugs were among the fake products seized.