By Our Correspondent
Kenya is hosting a regional workshop aimed at strengthening the fight against pharmaceutical crimes in Eastern and Southern Africa.
The two-day Organised Crime and Case Coordination Workshop opened at Two Rivers, Nairobi, bringing together law enforcement officers from select INTERPOL member countries.
The opening ceremony was presided over by the Director of the National Central Bureau at the DCI, Mr Ibrahim Jillo, on behalf of the Director of Criminal Investigations. He warned that pharmaceutical crimes pose a growing threat to public health and security.
Mr Jillo underscored the need for stronger cross-border cooperation, intelligence sharing and coordinated enforcement to dismantle organised criminal networks involved in the illicit trade.
“Our National Central Bureau has long prioritised addressing pharmaceutical crimes, working alongside INTERPOL to dismantle networks that traffic illicit goods across borders. Events like this build on past successes, including global operations that have resulted in significant seizures and arrests. They remind us that no single country can effectively combat these threats alone,” he said.
The workshop is organised under INTERPOL’s Illicit Goods and Global Health Programme. It seeks to protect public health, secure pharmaceutical supply chains and strengthen regional and global responses to illicit medicines.
Discussions will begin with a presentation on Operation Pangea XVII, outlining global results and regional contributions. This will be followed by a pre-operational briefing for Operation Pangea XVIII, with a focus on Eastern and Southern Africa.
Participants will also receive insights from key partners, including AFRIPOL, the Pharmaceutical Security Institute, REACT, the World Customs Organisation and the World Organisation for Animal Health. Private sector players, including Roche, are also involved.
By the end of the workshop, participants are expected to improve case coordination, strengthen joint operations and deepen cooperation, reinforcing a united regional front against pharmaceutical crimes.