Director CBI inaugurates Interpol training programme on `investigating traffic of spurious medical product’

New Delhi/Jalandhar, October 9, 2013: Ranjit Sinha, Director, CBI on Tuesday inaugurated the Interpol Training Programme on “Investigating Traffic of Spurious Medical Product” was held at CBI Academy, Ghaziabad. The CBI in collaboration with Interpol, has organised 3-day Training Programme which is being attended by 30 participants, 10 each from CBI, State Police Organisations and Office of Drug Controller General of India.
The training would aim at building up skill-sets for agencies involved in the fight against this type of criminal activity, to provide the participants with tools & knowledge to conduct investigations on combating pharmaceutical crime and to share expertise. The training would also give concerned agencies the opportunity to share experience and enhance cooperation and hopefully foster the participation of India to Operation Storm IV which is a joint operation of INTERPOL with Indian Police to combat trafficking in Spurious Medical Products.
Addressing the participants, Director CBI & Head of the National Central Bureau(Interpol) in India said that spurious drugs are global phenomenon with international and national ramifications. He expressed appreciation for Interpol for taking measures to ensure capacity building of member countries in promoting international cooperation in countering organized crime of spurious drugs.  He also said that counterfeiting is often treated only as a trademark violation & unscrupulous racketeers who play with people’s live are able to escape from the penalties that such horrendous offence should invite. Director CBI noted that one of the recommendations of the Mashelkar Committee states that there was a great need to train officers enforcing the drug laws. He also called upon the Association of Indian Drug Manufacturers to partner with Law Enforcement Agencies of the State and the Centre to address this menace as otherwise it can tarnish the image of the industry as India is one of the major exporters of Medicinal Drugs to Asian and African countries.
Patricia Grollet, Intelligence Officer from the Interpol Medical Product Counterfeit Pharmaceutical Crime Sub Directorate, Lyon also addressed the participants. She spoke of spurious drugs as a dangerous and crude form of crime which harm the unsuspecting people and damage the credibility of the health system. She said Interpol with its Member Countries will actively help to prevent such crimes & punish such organised pharmaceutical crimes and criminals.
The Drug Controller General of India Dr.G.N.Singh also addressed the Inaugural Session, which was graced by Senior officers of the CBI. This programme to be held from October 8 to 10, 2013, includes Sessions on Pharmaceutical overview, Operation Pangaea; Problems of Spurious Drugs & Pharmaceuticals in India; Laws Governing the Fight Against Spurious Drugs in India; Enforcement Structure & Falsified Medical Products Strategy; Intelligence Gathering & Undercover Investigation; Searches & Seizures – Handling of Evidence; Basics on Internet Investigations; Money Flows/Asset Recovery – Case Study; Detection, Identification & Traceability of Fake Medicines (Risk Assessment); Floor to Participants Questions or Sharing Experience; Relationship Public Sector & Private Sector; Pharmaceutical Security Institute’s Experience; Experience of Private Sector and Case Study on Busting Illegal Pharmaceutical Manufacturers. The Sessions will be addressed by Experts of Medical Product Counterfeit Pharmaceutical Crime Sub Directorate, Interpol, Lyons; Controller of Drugs & Food Control Organisation, J&K & other States; Forensic Experts; Representatives from Pharmaceutical Security Institute & Regional Security Manager, Asia Pacific-Japan and CBI Officers. www.cityairnews.com