A large-scale operation has unveiled more than 100 million fake pharmaceutical products after an inspection took place at 15 African ports in the spring of 2014.
The operation was led by the World Customs Organisation (WCO) and the International Institute of Research Against Counterfeit Medicines.
WCO secretary general Kunio Mikuriya said: “The number of interceptions effected during this operation shows once again the scope of the scourge of illicit and counterfeit pharmaceutical drugs in Africa.”
The majority of the fake medicines were discovered at ports in Benin, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The counterfeit pharmaceuticals related to treatments for analgesics, anti-inflammatories and antibiotics, as well as therapeutic drugs used to treat tuberculosis.
The pharmaceuticals were said to have originated from either China or India.
