US and German police seizes consignment of sedative from India

Mangalore Today/DHNS

Washington, Aug 13, 2013: The American and German police have announced seizure of a huge consignment of a sedative-hypnotic medicine associated with a high risk of death and cancer, coming from India.

In collaboration with the German Customs Investigations Bureau, Zollkriminalamt, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that as many as 20,000 Zolpidem pills were seized at the San Francisco International Mail Facility in several parcels originating from India.

 

Upon closer examination of the suspect parcels, CBP personnel discovered that the 10 parcels contained a total of 20,000 Zolpidem pills, a Schedule IV controlled substance.

"Timely information from Zollkriminalamt and excellent targeting and coordination efforts by CBP’s Pharmaceuticals Center of Excellence and Expertise resulted in this significant interception, keeping these harmful pills off of our streets," Robert E Perez, Director of Field Operations in New York said yesterday.

"We thank our partners in German Customs for their ongoing collaboration," Perez said.

This enforcement action follows another collaborative enforcement effort in March between CBP and French Customs Fake Medicine Observatory, when CBP personnel seized 400 Carisoprodol pills, another schedule IV controlled substance.

"The Zollkriminalamt intends to pursue this excellent cooperation against growing global threats. We look forward to our continued work together and are confident, that this will not be the last joint operation," said Dr Ulrike Berg-Haas, German Customs liaison.