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17 July 2007
BRUSSELS – Customs officials confiscated an enormous amount of counterfeit antibiotics at Zaventem airport this weekend, the finance ministry announced Tuesday.
A total of 600,000 antibiotic pills with a street value of EUR 300,000 were intercepted.
The medicines were declared as “pharmaceuticals” and sent from a post office box in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.
The medicine had been ordered by a Belgian importer and could have been destined for the Belgian market.
Belgian customs officials confiscated similar counterfeit antibiotics in 2000. The investigation into the shipment from last weekend is still ongoing.
“The customs and excise authority warns consumers that using fake medicines can be very harmful to health, but stresses once again that combating counterfeit products is one of its top priorities.” The authorities also said that, thanks to meticulous controls, consumers need not fear any danger from medicines distributed by pharmacists and hospitals.
[Copyright Expatica News 2007]
Subject: Belgian news