US experts get tough on fake medicines
Health experts are urging the United States and other countries to boost their ability to identify fake or subpar medicines and close loopholes that allow products to be falsified or diluted.In an international system in which different companies in many countries make ingredients for single treatments, no country alone can effectively enforce quality control on drugs that can be the fine line between life and death, stressed a report by the independent Institute of Medicine (IOM).”Falsified and substandard medicines are a grave public health problem because they are ineffective, promote drug resistance, and even cause severe illness and death, particularly in developing countries where they regularly flood the market,” said Lawrence Gostin, health law expert at Georgetown University Law Center who led the group of 12 experts who did the study.”We’re calling on WHO, in collaboration with regulators, companies, and civil society worldwide, to adopt a global code of practice, build national regulatory capabilities, and promote international cooperation,” Gostin said.Fake versions of the cancer drug Avastin were given to US patients in 2011 and 2012, for example, but similar problems occur even more frequently in poor countries, the committee found. Avastatin is made by Switzerland’s Roche.”Given the international nature of modern manufacturing and trade, every nation has a stake and a role to play in ensuring the production and sale of high-quality medications,” said Gostin, who is director of the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center on Public Health Law and Human Rights.Counterfeit and substandard medications with little or no active ingredients can hasten drug resistance, do not treat disease, and boost health care costs. In addition, products that contain dangerous ingredients have sickened and killed people around the world, the report explains.It urges the WHO to increase its cooperation with regulators worldwide.”What we’re seeing in the United States – and doubly so in developing countries – is a race to the bottom,” Gostin said. “Unscrupulous drug suppliers seek the state or country with the weakest regulatory and law enforcement standards. We need to encourage a status competition for the finest regulatory oversight.”So the report urges a mandatory drug tracking system.US “agreement on a federally mandated tracking system has been slowed by costs associated with changing drugs’ primary packaging and labels as well as wholesale repackaging, the report found. “Without a national system, however, companies face the burden of meeting competing state demands. For example, California will require unique serial numbers on bottles and vials by 2015,” it said.The report also urges adoption of the terms “substandard” and “falsified” to refer to products that pose a public health risk, asking parties to refrain from using the term “counterfeit” except in trademark infringement cases.”Consistent use of terms would improve nations’ abilities to document the extent of the problem, determine causes, and discuss possible solutions,” it added.
Lear MoreSurge in cases of fake drugs; whistleblower plan draws a blank
New Delhi: In a worrying trend, there has been an increase in cases of fake drugs in last three years and efforts by authorities to encourage whistle-blowers to report such illegal activity too have failed to elicit the desired response.Of the total of 345 cases of spurious or fake drugs reported between 2009-12 by Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), 117 were in 2009-10, 95 in 2010-11 and 133 in 2011-12, according to information provided by Health Ministry in response to an RTI query. The CDSCO has tested about 1.37 lakh drug samples in the last three years. Of these, 6,500 samples were declared of sub-standard quality other than 345 cases of fake drugs. The Health Ministry has launched prosecution in 516 cases against various persons for manufacturing, sale and distribution of spurious or adulterated drugs during the period. As many as 345 persons were arrested for selling and manufacturing fake drugs, it said. During 2009-10, a total of 39,248 drug samples were tested and 1,942 were found to be of inferior quality. The central health authorities have launched prosecution in 138 cases and arrested 173 persons during the year. Whereas in 2010-11, about 49,682 drugs samples were tested and 2,372 of them were found to be of sub-standard quality. Authorities have launched prosecution in 167 cases in which 72 persons were arrested, the reply said. A total of 48,082 drugs samples were tested in 2011-12, in which 2,186 were found to be below the standard. The Health Ministry authorities initiated prosecution in 211 cases in which 141 persons were arrested. A whistle blower scheme was launched by the Ministry in August 2009 to reward any individual who gives information related to fake drugs but all the complaints were found to be false. “There were 37 complaints received under the whistle blower scheme by this organisation. The complaints were investigated by the concerned State Drug Controlling Authorities, CDSCO and in certain cases both the authorities had jointly investigated the complaints. “However, the complaints were found to be fictitious and no person has been awarded under this scheme till date,” the Directorate General of Health Services said in reply to the RTI query filed by PTI. The whistle blower scheme was launched by the government to encourage vigilant public participation in the detection of movement of spurious drugs in the country.
Lear MoreAlleged Photos of Apple’s iPhone 5S Are Fake
Photos of what are allegedly Apple’siPhone 5Sassembly line were recently leaked. As always, it’s hard to tell if these images are legitimate or not, but9to5Macoriginally suggested that the photos could be showing us a new iPhone 5S with a few tweaked internals. Turns out the images might not only be fake, but they might actually be parts of a knockoff iPhone 5.MacRumorssays that it’s fairly certain the leaked parts are of an iPhone 5 clone, a fake version of the iPhone 5 that’s likely sold as a cheap knockoff, and that it’s most certainly not the iPhone 5S. The site noticed that the battery is smaller than the iPhone 5, there’s a microSD card slot, there’s a connector that doesn’t resemble the new Lightning port and there are “loose red and black wires.”We imagine that the iPhone 5S will resemble the iPhone 5, as the photos above do, but apparently these aren’t the real deal.
http://www.technobuffalo.com/2013/02/11/iphone-5s-assembly-line-gallery-photos/
Lear MoreBarring the way of fake drugs
In order to highlight the magnitude of illicit trade activities such as counterfeiting and smuggling, FICCI CASCADE organized a press conference, preceding the seminar, on ‘Illicit Trade – A Threat to our National Interest’ on October 15th, 2015 in Hyderabad. Mr. Ravi Verma (IPS), Deputy Inspector General of Police, Telangana was the key speaker at the press conference. Mr. Verma stated that the magnitude of counterfeiting and smuggling was significant and was affecting India’s growth trajectory. He said that information sharing between the stakeholders was very important to contain the menace. In this regard, he observed that developing a list of regular offenders across the country and sharing of this data by the police departments across the states would be an effective step.
Lear MoreFake and Counterfeit Mobile Phones Sold Around the World
A report by the Mobile Manufacturers Forum reported that 125 million substandard and counterfeit mobile phones were sold around the world in 2011. In 2012, the number of counterfeit phones sold increased to 148 million units. The estimated amount for 2013 was projected to be 1.86 million units. Thus, up to 8 percent of all mobile devices sold worldwide in 2013 were substandard or counterfeits. Over 20 percent of mobile phones sold in India is estimated to be counterfeits, according to the report. Many of the counterfeit phones sold in the India that were made in China were found to have high levels of lead. This is similar to a study conducted by researchers in Brazil who found that the five counterfeit phones that they tested all had lead and cadmium levels that were higher than EU regulations. In Libya, up to 80 percent of the mobile phones for sale in the country were smuggled into the country and sold on the black market.
http://www.havocscope.com/fake-and-counterfeit-mobile-phones-sold-around-the-world/
Lear MoreAB SKF : Swedish court rules for criminal conviction in SKF counterfeit court case
Trademark infringement results in jail term
A Swedish court has sentenced one person to a one-year jail term and a five-year ban from trade, and awarded damages to SKF, after finding him guilty of violation of Swedish trademark law in relation to the SKF trademark. The court found that he intentionally purchased counterfeit SKF products. The products were thereafter sold with a high profit margin to unknowing customers.The criminal and civil court case was the result of a police raid in March 2010 of stores in Stockholm and Avesta (located in the central parts of Sweden) where the police found thousands of counterfeit SKF products. SKF cooperated with the police in the identification of the counterfeit bearings.Counterfeit SKF products are non-SKF products illegally marked with the SKF trademark and packed in SKF-like packaging. Counterfeit industrial products like bearings can considerably reduce the service life of machinery and in the worst case endanger human lives. SKF is actively cooperating with law enforcement authorities around the world to facilitate legal measures against those involved in the trade of SKF counterfeit products.
Gothenburg, 4 February, 2013
Aktiebolaget SKF (publ)
SKF is a leading global supplier of bearings, seals, mechatronics, lubrication systems, and services which include technical support, maintenance and reliability services, engineering consulting and training. SKF is represented in more than 130 countries and has around 15,000 distributor locations worldwide. Annual sales in 2012 were SEK 64,575 million and the number of employees was 46,775.
Lear MoreKenya loses Sh70bn in counterfeit trade
Trade in counterfeits has grown into a Sh70 billion annual business, rivalling key foreign exchange earners like tourism, tea and horticulture.The Anti-Counterfeit Agency (ACA) said Monday the most affected items were medicinal drugs, electronics, CDs and pirated software, alcoholic drinks, mobile phones and farm inputs.“The tragedy of the counterfeiting story is that it is an underworld crime that leads to crime advancement,” ACA Chief Executive Officer Stephen Mallowah said during the launch of phase three of its public awareness campaign dubbed “Fagia Bandia”.
The campaign which is conducted in collaboration with US, Britain, India, France and the EAC Member states, seeks to enlighten enforcement agencies like the police, judicial staff and custom officials to lead the fight against counterfeits.It is backed by private sector lobby groups such as Kenya Association of Manufactures (KAM), Kenya Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (KAPI) and Agrochemicals Association of Kenya (AAK).Unilever, East African Cables, British American Tobacco (BAT), Toyota East Africa, Brazafric Enterprises (Kenya), Nokia East Africa, Samsung, HP, Sollatek (Kenya), East African Breweries Limited (EABL), and SCJohnsons are among the firms supporting the campaign.US embassy officials said American firms – just like Kenyan companies – had suffered from production and circulation of fake goods in the region.“Kenya has a potential of becoming a great destination for investment. We believe we have picked the right team to help us win the war against counterfeits,” said US Deputy Chief of Mission Isaiah Parnell.ACA said it had processed 177 complaints since 2010, successfully prosecuting 47 cases worth over Sh650 million.But even as the agency launches its campaign to rid the market of counterfeits, Kenya’s investment profile is still fraught with reputational risk.A recent KPMG Fraud Barometer survey which found that African countries including Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and South Africa account for 74 per cent of all fraud cases reported in the continent.
Greater Manchester counterfeit goods conspiracy smashed
Greater Manchester Police have smashed a multi-million pound conspiracy to manufacture, import and sell counterfeit goods in the region.Thousands of pounds worth of fake clothing, shoes and watches with a trade value of around £500,000 was seized in Stretford during Operation Bank.The gang behind the conspiracy were convicted of conspiracy to defraud and sentenced at Minshull Street Crown Court last week.Sarwari Dlague, 33, of Ballater Walk, Cheetham Hill was sentenced to three years in prison, while Agha Khan, 27, of the same area, was jailed for 12 months.Taiba Parsa, 26, of Drake Street, Rochdale and Ayesha Sarwary, 30, of Alexandra Road, Manchester were both given community service orders.Mahmood Shah, 44, of Hilton Crescent, Prestwich was jailed for two years and Abdul Jalil, 34, of Duffield Court, Brennan Close to 12 months in prison, suspended for 18 months.The gang were responsible for importing counterfeit goods from places such as China to business premises known as The Late Shop on Greatstone Road, Stretford.Evidence was seized that revealed counterfeit labels for 45 different brands of designer goods were then added to the items. Once they had been branded with the fake designer labels, they were then shipped onto another retail premises – The One Shop on Bury New Road – to be sold on to members of the public.Two other offenders – Qand Agha Sarwary and Sherin Agha Sarwary who are the brothers of Sarwari Dlague – are still outstanding and circulated as wanted.Detective Constable Paul Yates and Detective Constable Sue Barker, who led the investigation, said: “Counterfeiting on this scale requires serious organisation, established distribution channels and money. Judging by the swathes of boxes we seized that were stuffed with fake goods, it is clear this gang had set up a highly profitable criminal venture and were pocketing large sums of cash.“However, their arrogance and mistaken belief they could act with impunity eventually cost them dear.“We seized so much documentation and evidence that revealed both the scale of this criminal network and the undeniable involvement of those convicted. The evidence was so overwhelming that they must have thought they would never be caught. But thanks to our officers their entire network came crashing down around them.“I would like to pay tribute to the hard work and dedication of the officers involved who have helped achieve these excellent convictions, which have far-reaching implications for everyone working and living in Manchester.
“I want to make it clear just how damaging counterfeit goods can be not only to the UK economy but businesses right here in Manchester.“The cost of counterfeit goods for trademark owners, consumers and the UK economy is huge. The Home Office estimates the criminal gain from counterfeiting in the UK alone is worth £1.3bn every year.“While it might seem like a victimless crime and that buying a knock-off watch over the Internet is harmless, you are actually putting legitimate businesses at risk and as a consequence, putting people⿿s jobs on the line. In times of austerity, local businesses here in Manchester thrive on trade and if people are being persuaded to buy fake goods elsewhere, it put those businesses and people’s livelihoods in jeopardy.“That is why the successful conclusion of this case is such a fantastic result for retailers across the city. It sends out a powerful message that anyone involved in the importation and sale of counterfeit goods will be caught and face stringent penalties.“Greater Manchester Police is working very closely with trademark owners, HM Revenue and Customs, Trading Standards, the commercial industry and other enforcement agencies to target these bandits and together we will do everything in our power to disrupt the organised crime groups involved.”
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Value of seized fake goods dropped in 2012
A total of P5.2 billion worth of fake merchandise was seized in 2012, down 37.9 percent from the P8.38 billion worth of counterfeit items seized in 2011, indicating an improvement in the enforcement of intellectual property rights, according to the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines.IPOPHL director general Ricardo R. Blancaflor said his agency had partnered with the likes of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and even the US Embassy to further clamp down on IP violations.Philippine authorities noted an annual drop in the value of confiscated fake merchandise in 2012 from 2011 due to improved enforcement of intellectual property laws.Blancaflor said among the reasons for the drop were the high value of seizures in 2011, lower value of goods seized, change in command in relevant agencies, as well as less visible or minimized selling of fake goods in areas where IP enforcement is strong.“In terms of the number of pieces of seized items, 2012 has a bigger number than 2011 but in 2011, most of the seized items were Swiss watches, which are higher in value,” Blancaflor said.Among enforcement agencies, the National Bureau of Investigation seized the most counterfeit goods with the value estimated at P2.7 billion, down 48.22 percent from P5.22 billion in 2011.The Optical Media Board was second with P1.16 billion worth of goods seized, down 5.99 percent from P1.23 billion in 2011, while the Bureau of Customs had P1.1 billion (down 26.67 percent from P1.5 billion) worth of seized fake items.The Philippine National Police chalked up P247 million worth of seizures, down 42.95 percent from P433 million the previous year.The bulk of the seized counterfeit items were luxury items such as handbags, followed by optical media such as digital video discs (CDs and DVDs).
http://business.inquirer.net/105597/value-of-seized-fake-goods-dropped-in-2012
Lear MoreChinese National Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Counterfeit Tobacco Products into the U.S
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Lin Xiao Wei, 32, a Chinese national, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Providence today to importing counterfeit tobacco products into the United States from China, earmarked for Rhode Island. Wei admitted to the court that beginning in February 2012, he arranged for the shipment of a 22-foot cargo container containing counterfeit cigarettes.Wei, who has been detained since his arrest in Miami on June 4, 2012, by the Rhode Island Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI) Task Force, pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence today to one count of causing the sale of counterfeit tobacco products.Wei’s guilty plea was announced by Peter F. Neronha, United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island, and Mark Dragonetti, Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI).Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., Wei admitted that he arranged for the purchase and shipment from China to the United States of a 20-foot cargo container of counterfeit Marlboro cigarettes. The cargo container, which shipping documentation claimed contained 696 cartons of leather products, was shipped from a port in China on March 27, 2012.Between the time Wei allegedly agreed to ship the fraudulent tobacco products to the U.S., and the arrival of the cargo container through a port in Miami on April 27, 2012, several wire transactions were sent to Wei for the cost of the product and associated shipping fees. Upon arrival in Miami, FDA-OCI and Homeland Security Investigations agents seized the container.According to information presented to the court, on June 3, 2012, Wei met at a Miami hotel with a confidential informant who was working with investigators, and an undercover FDA-OCI Task Force agent from Rhode Island. Wei discussed the shipment of the fraudulent tobacco products, as well as previous shipments of counterfeit pharmaceutical products and the availability of other fraudulent products.Wei is scheduled to be sentenced on April 10, 2013. Causing the sale of counterfeit tobacco products carries a maximum sentence of 3 years in federal prison; a fine of $10,000; and 3 years of supervised release.U.S. Attorney Peter Neronha thanked Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the District of Southern Florida, and his staff, for their assistance in this matter.U.S. Attorney Neronha also commended FDA-OCI Rhode Island Task Force members, Rhode Island State Police, East Providence Police and North Providence Police for their efforts in this multi-jurisdictional investigation.U.S. Attorney Peter Neronha also thanked Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their assistance in this investigation.The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard B. Myrus and Adi Goldstein.
Lear More