Training and operational workshops provide impetus to the fight against counterfeit goods in Southern and Eastern Africa

NAIROBI, Suara Indonesia News - – Nearly 150 police, customs and drug regulatory body representatives from 26 Eastern and Southern African countries are taking part in Intellectual Property (IP) Crime Training and Operational Workshops, co-hosted by INTERPOL and the Kenya police.

The six-day training course and workshops, running from 20 to 25 November, aim to equip senior and middle police managers with the knowledge, skills and expertise to lead proactive regional operations, targeting transnational organized criminals who systematically manufacture and distribute counterfeit and pirated goods throughout the region.

Especially of concern are counterfeit products that affect the health and safety of the public who are often unaware of the risks. These include medical and skincare products, which pose a threat to consumers' health and wellbeing and sub-standard electrical goods, which can lead to fires and injury. The training course and workshops are organized within the framework of INTERPOL's Operational Assistance, Services and Infrastructure Support (OASIS) programme, funded by the German Federal Government.

OASIS Director, Giuliano Zaccardelli, underlined the importance of enhancing the capacity of countries in Africa to address crime threats nationally, regionally and globally: "IP crimes, especially those which have a direct impact on the wellbeing of millions of people, are transnational crimes that need a co-ordinated and focused response.”

Kenya and other member countries of the East Africa Community (EAC) are at the forefront of collective regional efforts to combat transnational organized counterfeiting and piracy.

"The grave dangers posed to health and safety in terms of counterfeit pharmaceuticals and medical products, auto and airplane parts, or electronics that go into our nation's critical infrastructure, can present a real and direct danger to the public,” said Major General Mohammed Hussein ALI, Commissioner of the Kenya Police.

“This workshop is instrumental in equipping our officers with the knowledge to tackle what is increasingly becoming big business for organized crime."

A successful model for future interventions is Operation Mamba which targeted counterfeit pharmaceutical products and took place between 29 September and 5 October 2008 in Tanzania and Uganda. Simultaneous raids by police, customs and revenue authorities led to the examination of 226 pharmacies, warehouse and market stalls, and resulted in the seizure of over 100 types of fake and illicit medical products.

“Operation Mamba illustrated that there is a collective desire to tackle the scourge of counterfeit medicines and the devastating effect they have on sufferers of otherwise curable diseases such as malaria,” said INTERPOL Secretary General, Ronald K. Noble. “The skills and knowledge assimilated by police leaders in these workshops will enable them to work with colleagues in other African countries and INTERPOL to dismantle transnational counterfeiting and piracy conspiracies.”

In addition to training, a vital area in the development of anti-counterfeiting activities is inter-agency and public/private sector co-operation, with the World Customs Organization, the World Intellectual Property Organization and the US Chamber of Commerce key participants in co-ordinating international activities.