MAHO--The danger of counterfeit medication and pharmaceutical crime was underscored by speakers at the opening of Interpol Awareness Seminar and Workshop on the same subject at Sonesta Maho Beach Resort on Tuesday.
Persons coming to St. Maarten and using Botox and fillers in hotel rooms, pharmacies importing medication without a license to bypass distributors, and shipments from neighbouring islands to local distributors bringing unregistered or prohibited products were some of the examples of risks provided by Health Minister Cornelius de Weever (see related story).
"Producing and distributing counterfeit medicines is a particularly dangerous and cruel form of crime," Interpol's Assistant Director for the Americas Rosinete de Santana Barbosa told the large gathering of attendees, which included representatives of some 40 Interpol member countries, local government dignitaries and local law enforcement, customs and health officials.
Barbosa said counterfeit medication not only undermines corporate innovation, creativity and intellectual property, but also targets innocent, unsuspecting and highly vulnerable persons. "The high profit and little risk of getting caught make the counterfeiting of medical products very attractive for organised crime. Medical products are increasingly being challenged by counterfeit products of an even higher level of sophistication. Some criminal organisations are indeed able to replicate drugs, their packaging and embedded security features so well that even industry experts sometimes find it hard to distinguish the real from the counterfeit," she said.
"If we add to this some extra obstacles, such as inadequate legislation, insufficient or even non-existent dedicated public structures to comfort the problem, we can all agree how great the challenge is before us."
She said Interpol has recognised the major threat posed by the counterfeiting of pharmaceuticals to public health and health systems worldwide. "To face this threat, Interpol has developed a multi-sectoral approach, building a global network of partners, ranging from law enforcement to health regulatory authorities, customs, the scientific community and the private sector, in order to prepare and carry out targeted enforcement activities and operations aiming at dismantling organised crime groups involved in counterfeiting."
She said Interpol can tap its 190 member countries network, its databases and its secure global police communication system to allow the widest possible data sharing.
St. Maarten became an active member of Interpol during the organisation's 80th General Assembly in Hanoi, Vietnam, last year.
Chief of Police Peter de Witte described the three-day workshop as very important in the international fight against a crime that is threatening the safety of citizens around the world.
"Every ordinary citizen in the world, people like you and me, has a number of basic needs, such as work stability, security and health. As police we have been focussing on security, the fight against drugs, violence and weapons. However, there's more. With the advancement of medical science and medical skills, we have acquired the knowledge to gradually increase age limits. Not in the least because of drugs, which often, after a long preparative research and a lot of financial investment, lead to reduced human distress or pain or even to make it disappear," said de Witte.
"That goes for the simplest painkiller for flu, to the complicated cancer medicine or treatment for HIV and AIDS. That is a tremendous improvement and a process which the end is still maybe far from sight."
De Witte said while the fight against counterfeit crime may not seem as the most exciting topic for which to establish international crime fighting, it is a topic that focuses on the most precious things man owns – his health and life. "The fight against illegal and counterfeit drugs is literally vital," he said.
Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams, Parliament President Gracita Arrindell, Chief of Customs Anthony Doran and Justice Minister Roland Duncan welcomed delegates to the workshop and seminar and wished everyone successful discussions.
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