‘Police Raid Nets 420 000 Fake Tablets, Including Fake ARVs’,

PEOPLE with various ailments could have been exposed to deadly medication after police recently recovered over 420 000 tablets countrywide, including fake ARVs, during a regional operation.

Also recovered during the operation involving Zimbabwe, Angola, Malawi, Swaziland, South Africa and Tanzania were lotions, cigarettes, soaps, bottles of Histalix and BronCleer cough syrups, among other illicit drugs.

The operation code-named, “Giaboia 11”, was conducted by the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the International Police (Interpol) between Wednesday and Friday last week.

In Zimbabwe, the operation was carried out in Harare, Bulawayo, Mashonaland West and Matabeleland South.

During the operation, police arrested 395 suspects, including a bogus doctor who was operating a clinic in Karoi and dispensing unregistered drugs that were recovered.

For the entire operation, police recovered 424 257 various types of tablets, including fake ARVs, 2 399 tubes of various lotions, 2 000 tubes of various creams, 307 bottles of Histalix cough syrup, 11 000 bottles of BronCleer, six pharmaceutical soaps and 300 000 Pacific cigarettes.

Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba yesterday said a total of 37 pharmacies were inspected, resulting in two unlicensed ones being closed.

“90 percent of the recovered contraband was from Harare and Mashonaland West provinces,” she said. “During the operation, police also arrested a bogus doctor in Karoi who was illegally operating a clinic.

“The clinic was immediately closed and the various surgery implements as well as numerous unregistered drugs were recovered.”

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said the operation focused mainly on pharmaceutical crimes which involved the manufacture, trade and distribution of fake, stolen or illicit products.

“The crime also includes theft, fraud, smuggling, illicit diversion and trafficking of medicines,” she said. “The operation was conducted after the successes of the first operation, code-named ‘Giaboia 1’, in East Africa in 2013.

“Police are warning members of the public to desist from buying unregistered pharmaceutical products which have serious side effects of unknown proportions,” she said.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said those found engaging in any illegal activities will be dealt with in accordance with the law.

She said police will remain alert to curb criminal activities and urged members of the public to report any suspicious movements or activities to their nearest police stations. by Freeman Razemba Crime Reporter. photo-Snr Asst Comm Charamba