The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
(MHRA) are working closely with law enforcement agencies in
India to prevent unlicensed medicines entering the
UK.
Following a meeting in Delhi last month,
MHRA will send intelligence to
the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence
(DRI), enabling them to target regions suspected of sending
unlicensed medicines into the UK.
This is another example of co-ordinated efforts
to tackle international medicines
crime. The DRI recently seized 350,000
tablets of potent medicines such as Diazepam,
Tramadol and Zopiclone destined for
UK, European and US markets.
Rapid
mutual intelligence-sharing will help to combat the
illegal cross-border trade in medicines.
The UK and India have
a longstanding relationship when it comes to
collaborating around the issue of medicines.
In 2015 both
countries signed a Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU), further
increasing collaboration in the
area of medicines and medical devices and improving
public safety.
MHRA’s Head of Enforcement, Alastair Jeffrey:
“Our active collaboration with Indian
Government agencies sends a strong message to
criminals; when we work with our global partners we are
able to disrupt criminal activity through the
identification, arrest and prosecution of offenders wherever they
are.
“We are working tirelessly to identify all those involved
in bringing unlicensed medicines into the UK.
“Our collaborative efforts with key partners like India
will help protect the health of UK citizens.”
Additional Director General, Vivek Chaturvedi, said:
“Indian Customs is committed to detecting and preventing
illegal cross border trade in medicines and psychotropic
substances. DRI being the apex intelligence and investigative
agency has successfully booked a number of cases, carried out
seizures and arrested offenders in recent past.
“DRI works closely with international law enforcement
agencies and regulators and MHRA is an important partner in
tackling the menace of trade in illegal medicines.
“Such collaboration is mutually beneficial to both
countries in protecting the health of their citizens and in
prosecuting the criminals involved in such offences.”
Ends
Notes to Editor
Background
-
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory
Agency (MHRA) is responsible
for regulating all medicines and
medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are
acceptably safe.
-
All our work is underpinned by robust and fact-based
judgements to ensure that the benefits justify any
risks. MHRA is a centre of the Medicines and Healthcare
products Regulatory Agency which also includes NIBSC and CPRD.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is an
executive agency of the Department of Health.
-
The Directorate of Revenue
Intelligence is the apex intelligence and investigative agency
for matters relating to smuggling and violation of the Customs
Act, NDPS Act, and other allied Acts involving cross
border offences. The Directorate is part of the Central Board
of Indirect Taxes and Customs under the Department
of Revenue, Government of India.
-
The medicines seized were Zopiclone, Zolpidem, Lorazepam,
Diazepam, Tramadol and Alprazolam.
- MHRA will send intelligence to DRI
under the existing bilateral provisions.
