TOPCOP delivers regional training on counterfeiting and illicit trade of medicines for Eastern Partnership countries

Counterfeiting and illicit trade of medicines is a significant and growing problem, putting at risk the health of individuals and posing a threat to the health system of the EU as a whole. Counterfeit drugs are dangerous by their very nature, since they are not properly produced, not inspected by regulatory authorities and might contain harmful ingredients. Fake pharmaceuticals include antibiotics, cancer treatments, antimalarial drugs, diabetes treatments, painkillers, drugs treating anxiety and panic disorders as well as widely used lifestyle treatments such as Botox.

To tackle this serious issue, CEPOL, in the framework of the TOPCOP project, and in cooperation with the Italian Carabinieri for Health Protection (Carabinieri NAS), implemented a regional training on the illicit trade of pharmaceutical products to law enforcement practitioners from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

The aim of this course was to provide additional knowledge in the area of counterfeiting, specifically related to pharmaceutical products. Trainers from EU Member States shared their expertise on international investigative methods to combat counterfeiting of medicines, taking into account national and EU legal frameworks while respecting fundamental rights.

In addition, participants had the opportunity to participate in field visits organised by Carabinieri NAS and the Italian Customs, where they were presented with practical examples and investigative tools currently applied in this area in the EU. During the visit to the Ciampino Airport, participants had the opportunity to learn more about the customs clearance procedures and inspected suspicious parcels in the airport cargo warehouse.

Overall, the training aimed to ascertain the importance of coordinated efforts in combatting the illicit trade of counterfeit medicines. Experts from Carabinieri NAS, Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco, the Pharmaceutical Security Institute, Europol and the European Union Intellectual Property Office contributed to this activity by highlighting their roles in this endeavour. Their experiences presented to participants were based on the joint international operational initiative called Operation Shield, which is a global effort to target trafficking of counterfeit and misused medicines and doping substances.

Strengthening the capabilities of investigators in the Eastern Partnership countries is one of the TOPCOP project’s priorities in the fight against serious and organised crime. The project continues to further the strategic cooperation in the region and encourages active information exchange between various actors during investigations. You can read more about TOPCOP here.