Operation Pangea XIV: Interpol
Operation Pangea XIV: Interpol
Why in news?
- Recently, the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) through its Operation Pangea XIV targeted the sale of fake medicines and products online.
- More than 1.10 lakh web links, including websites and online marketplaces, were taken down in the operation.
Operation Pangea XIV
- Code-named “Operation Pangea XIV”, the exercise was coordinated by Interpol.
- It involved the police, customs, and health regulatory authorities of 92 countries against the sale of fake and illicit medicines and medical products.
- Indian agencies also participated in the operation, said an official of the Central Bureau of Investigation that is the nodal body for the Interpol in the country.
- It showed that criminals were continuing to cash in on the huge demand for personal protection and hygiene products due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other Pharmaceutical Crime Operations
- Operation Rainfall
- It disrupts the trafficking in pharmaceuticals and medical devices in Asia.
- Seven countries took part in the operation in 2018 i.e. Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines and Vietnam.
- Heera
- It is a regional initiative that targets the trafficking of pharmaceutical products in West Africa.
- The countries involved are Benin, Burkina Faso, Céte dlvoire, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo. Operation Pangea XIV: Interpol
- Qanoon
- It is a multi-year initiative targeting illicit medicines and medical products in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA,) region.
- It collects and shares information in order to identify transnational issues, support investigations and dismantle criminal networks.
- The countries participating in the initiative are Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Lebanon, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and United Arab Emirates.
About Interpol
- The International Criminal Police Organization, commonly known as INTERPOL is an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and crime control.
- It is the world’s largest police organization.
- Its broad mandate covers virtually every kind of crime, including crimes against humanity, child pornography, drug trafficking and production, political corruption, intellectual property infringement, and white-collar crime. Operation Pangea XIV: Interpol
- It provides investigative support, expertise, and training to law enforcement worldwide, focusing on three major areas of transnational crime: terrorism, cybercrime, and organized crime.
- Contrary to popular belief, INTERPOL is itself not a law enforcement agency.
- The agency also facilitates cooperation among national law enforcement institutions through criminal databases and communications networks.
