Police seize counterfeit medicine
valued at $3,000-plus

In one week, Border Police officers seized a large number of allegedly smuggled medical drug units valued at $3,288.

According to the police report, most of the products were seized during road control operations on the northern border with Nicaragua.

The first case happened on Thursday when the officers intercepted a bus that was transporting 3,000 units of medicine inside a container.

The cargo was transported in the luggage compartment of the bus that was traveling to Liberia Canton in Guanacaste Province.

Among the drugs were a large number of pain relievers, antibiotics, vitamin supplements, bottles of a lotion known as Mariguanol, and bottles of an aphrodisiac drug called Sex Daily, police said in its report.


Mariguanol is a popular cream or lotion made with marijuana and is supposed to have healing properties that relieve the pain of rheumatism, arthritis or inflammation.

The medicines were seized as part of the evidence in the case, but no one was arrested.

The second case happened on Friday, during a routine road control operation that took place on the highway to Cuajiniquil, near the border with Nicaragua.

The officers intercepted a truck with a Nicaraguan license plate that was driven by a Nicaraguan man, surnamed Olivas, who had entered the country without proper documentation.

Inside the truck, the officers found more than 1,000 units of various drugs, such as antibiotics and sedatives among others.

The medicines were seized and the man was arrested on suspicion of having unlawfully entered the country.

According to the Ministry of Health, any product brought into the country, as counterfeit, is confiscated until the person responsible for the product can prove that it was legally imported. Otherwise, the product will be destroyed. And if the person is declared guilty of trafficking illegal merchandise, they may get a fine.

Health authorities ask for people to report any suspicion of counterfeit medicine to the Judicial Investigation Organization confidential phone line at 800-8000-645, or send the complaint by email to dac.denuncias@misalud.go.cr or by calling the ministry at 2223-0333.

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What counterfeit medical products have you seen on sale in your community? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com

































 

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