facebook
linkedin
twitter
About Us
  • BFSI
  • Energy
  • Infocom
  • Mining
  • Venture
  • Industry
  • Travel
  • Civic
  • Food, Health, Ag
  • Real Estate
  • Responsibility
  • Economy
  • Law & Justice
  • Interview
  • Analysis

InsightCrime: Colombia’s Medical Corruption Exposed By Coronavirus Pandemic

Posted On April 17, 2020
By : Insight Crime
Comment: 0
Tag: acetaminophen, antibiotics, antiinflammatories, attorneyu general, Blu Radio, caracolcaracol radio, cartagena santa marta, cesar, contraband, coronavirus, covid-19, covid19, customs, ecuador, el comercio, El Tiempo, Insight Crime, insightcrime, instituciones prestadores de salud, interpolpandemic, ips, Iván Duque, juan carlos buitrago, la guajira, medellin, migrants, pandemic, paracetamol, pharmaceutical, polfa, policia fisccal y aduanera, raul gonzalez flechas, venezuela, venezuelan
The seizures of several illegal shipments of medicine in Colombia’s northern department of La Guajira has shown that one of the country’s least-discussed criminal economies could rapidly expand during the coronavirus pandemic.
The illegal sales of painkillers and antibiotics could soar in Latin America due to the coronavirus pandemic

The illegal sales of painkillers and antibiotics could soar in Latin America due to the coronavirus pandemic

In March, two shipments were seized in the municipalities of Maicao and Riohacha, police officials said in a news report. The pharmaceuticals were valued at eight billion pesos (about $2 million) and destined for La Guajira and neighboring Venezuela.

This article generously shared by Insight Crime. The original can be read here.

That same month, Colombian customs authorities made a series of seizures of US-sourced contraband medicine in the northern Cesar department, which also borders Venezuela. Antibiotics and over-the-counter anti-inflammatories were seized, including the pain reliever acetaminophen, known internationally as paracetamol, which has been recommended to reduce fevers associated with the coronavirus.

SEE ALSO: Colombia Busts Fake Medicine Ring Worth Millions

According to Colombia’s El Tiempo newspaper, failures in Colombia’s healthcare system make it easy to cover up the illegal sales of medicine as it is highly difficult to track such shipments.

“[Prosecutors] have detected a significant amount of these medications being imported by pharmacies located in border cities or ports,” Raúl González Flechas, a prosecutor from the Attorney General’s Office in Medellín, told El Tiempo.

The smuggling of medicine into Colombia is common. In August 2019, Colombian prosecutors dismantled a medicine contraband ring in the cities of Medellín, Cartagena and Santa Marta, which allegedly brought in expired medicine from Venezuela and Ecuador, El Comercio reported.

In February 2019, General Juan Carlos Buitrago, then-director of Colombia’s Tax and Customs Police (Policía Fiscal y Aduanera — Polfa), told Blu Radio that Venezuelan officials were likely involved in this type of contraband.

“We have seen contraband gangs that have connections like with other types of products … there are gangs which involve high-ranking authorities of the Venezuelan government, that distribute these products … in Colombia,” said Buitrago.

InSight Crime Analysis

Given the omnipresence and diversity of contraband in Colombia, medicine smuggling has received less attention. But the black market trade in pharmaceuticals — facilitated by corrupt government officials, health workers and criminal gangs — is primed to increase amid the coronavirus pandemic.

According to a September 2019 report published by Caracol Radio, medicine is siphoned off by Colombian healthcare providers (Instituciones Prestadoras de Salud — IPS) who write prescriptions for greater amounts of drugs than needed and then hold on to the excess. These medicines are then illegally sold on to private doctors and clinics.

SEE ALSO: What Does Coronavirus Mean for Criminal Governance in Latin America?

Another method involves corruption within pharmaceutical laboratories, where the medicine is diverted to criminal gangs.

The Colombian police has reported having carried out 1,393 operations against the illegal sale of medicine since the start of President Iván Duque’s term in August 2018.

Colombia also maintains 16 checkpoints dedicated to combating contraband and smuggling along its borders with Ecuador and Venezuela.

Such a general approach to combating smuggling is unlikely to be enough, given the many remote trails through which drugs, migrants and other contraband is consistently moved.

Instead, Interpol has called for specific actions to crack down on the medicine trade, warning that the coronavirus pandemic risks seeing a global rise in healthcare-related crimes.

This article was generously shared by Insight Crime with Finance Colombia under a Creative Commons license. The original can be read here.

 

Headline image by Ann San from Pixabay – box image from InsightCrime

DON'T MISS OUT: The only English-language Colombia news that's strictly business, markets, & investment!
Join global executives & investors by subscribing to our FREE weekly updates
I agree to have my personal information transferred to MailChimp ( more information ) DISCLAIMER: Protección de Datos Personales Artículo 15 de la Constitución Política de Colombia, ley 1581 de 2012 y decreto 1377 de 2013.
We will never spam you or share your email address ¡Nunca Jamás!

Share the news!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Print
  • WhatsApp
  • LinkedIn
  • Skype

Related

Share your thoughts:

comments

About the Author
InSight Crime is a foundation dedicated to the study of the principal threat to national and citizen security in the Americas: organized crime. Read more of the foundation's articles, insight, analysis at InsightCrime.org
  • google-share
Previous Story

Colombian Opposition Leader Gustavo Petro Has Esophageal Cancer

Next Story

Captain Murdered Onboard Cargo Ship In Cartagena

Related Posts

Grand Bahamas photo © Loren Moss
0

Bahamas Seeks Air Connectivity With Colombia

Posted On May 18, 2022
, By Loren Moss
0

Viva Launches Nonstop Routes To Buenos Aires, Argentina From Medellín & Bogotá, Colombia

Posted On April 12, 2022
, By Loren Moss
0

Ireland’s Tánaiste Visits Colombia To Strengthen Bilateral Ties

Posted On April 6, 2022
, By Loren Moss

You must log in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.





Search

RECENT

POPULAR

COMMENTS

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants today reveals Leonor Espinosa of Leo, Bogotá, as the 2022 winner of The World’s Best Female Chef Award, sponsored by Nude Glass

Colombian Leonor Espinosa Named "World's Best Female Chef"

Posted On May 18, 2022
Grand Bahamas photo © Loren Moss

Bahamas Seeks Air Connectivity With Colombia

Posted On May 18, 2022
Roberto Kriete, avianca's main shareholder and chairman of the Board of Directors.

Shareholders Of Viva, Avianca & Gol Announce The Creation Of Abra Group To Dominate South American Skies

Posted On May 11, 2022
Colombia’s attorney general charged Russian national Sergein Vagin and six other people

Alleged Russian Spy Charged…With Running A Gambling Mafia

Posted On April 12, 2022

Viva Launches Nonstop Routes To Buenos Aires, Argentina From Medellín & Bogotá, Colombia

Posted On April 12, 2022

Romanian Cybercriminal Mihai Ionut Paunescu Captured In Colombia

Posted On June 29, 2021
Photo montage courtesy EPM

EPM’s Board of Directors Resign En Masse, Creating Crisis For Mayor Daniel Quintero

Posted On August 17, 2020

Court Blocks Colombia’s $370 Million USD Emergency Loan To Bankrupt Avianca Airlines

Posted On September 12, 2020

Deadly Riots & Protests Against Police Brutality Break Out Across Colombia

Posted On September 10, 2020

AVIANCA IS BANKRUPT

Posted On May 10, 2020

[…] damn what she said. She and...

Posted On April 4, 2022

[…] by short sellers seeking to...

Posted On March 22, 2022

[…] no longer travel freely...

Posted On March 8, 2022

[…] Duque’s administration will...

Posted On March 8, 2022

[…] See also: 13 Police Injured In...

Posted On March 3, 2022

Watch This!

Consider Advertising With Us

Click here to visit Expat Group's English site

Subscribe Free

don't forget to include "http://"
* = required field
Your Background / Function








unsubscribe from list

RECENT

POPULAR

COMMENTS

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants today reveals Leonor Espinosa of Leo, Bogotá, as the 2022 winner of The World’s Best Female Chef Award, sponsored by Nude Glass

Colombian Leonor Espinosa Named "World's Best Female Chef"

Posted On May 18, 2022
Grand Bahamas photo © Loren Moss

Bahamas Seeks Air Connectivity With Colombia

Posted On May 18, 2022
Roberto Kriete, avianca's main shareholder and chairman of the Board of Directors.

Shareholders Of Viva, Avianca & Gol Announce The Creation Of Abra Group To Dominate South American Skies

Posted On May 11, 2022

Romanian Cybercriminal Mihai Ionut Paunescu Captured In Colombia

Posted On June 29, 2021
Photo montage courtesy EPM

EPM’s Board of Directors Resign En Masse, Creating Crisis For Mayor Daniel Quintero

Posted On August 17, 2020

Deadly Riots & Protests Against Police Brutality Break Out Across Colombia

Posted On September 10, 2020

[…] damn what she said. She and...

Posted On April 4, 2022

[…] by short sellers seeking to...

Posted On March 22, 2022

[…] no longer travel freely...

Posted On March 8, 2022

Watch This!

Contact Us (Click the image):

Pages

  • About Us
  • Colombia Events, Conferences, Festivals and Important Dates
  • Contact Us
  • main
  • Media Partnerships
  • Privacy Policy
  • Search Results
  • Whatsapp test page
Copyright 2014-2020 Finance Colombia All Rights Reserved. We may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.
Posting....
WhatsApp us