Interpol has revealed that Africa remains a major target for counterfeit medicine trafficking following a global crackdown that led to 269 arrests, the closure of nearly 6,000 fraudulent websites and the seizure of fake pharmaceutical products worth 15.5 million U.S. dollars.
The operation, known as Operation Pangea, involved 90 countries and focused on dismantling online networks selling counterfeit medicines. Unlike other regions where fake erectile dysfunction drugs and sedatives dominate, Africa was found to be heavily affected by counterfeit painkillers, antibiotics and antimalarial drugs.
According to Interpol, the illicit medicines are widely distributed through informal markets, driven partly by high healthcare costs across the continent. Significant seizures were recorded in several African countries, including Cameroon, where counterfeit antimalarial and antibiotic vials were confiscated, Côte d’Ivoire, where authorities intercepted a tonne of fake ibuprofen, and Burkina Faso, where nearly 400,000 counterfeit antibiotic capsules were seized.
Burkina Faso was the only African country listed among the top 10 nations globally for the largest counterfeit medicine seizures this year, although authorities reported lower volumes compared with the previous year.