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Criminals are flooding South Africa with dodgy medicines putting our citizens' lives at risk

Criminals are flooding South Africa with dodgy medicines putting our citizens' lives at risk

250

Worth of medicine seized

Between 2016 and 2019, more than R250 million worth of illegal viagra and other medicines were seized by SARS during 3,500 seizures.

According to the WHO, illicit medicines are a serious problem in South Africa and are easily bought in shops and online.

Twenty minutes is all it took for a reporter from The Times to buy counterfeit Viagra at a recent Johannesburg flea market.

Counterfeit pharmaceuticals often contain toxic ingredients that can be deadly.

Illicit Industries

Fuel

South Africans are being pumped for cash as fuel prices soar to cover the cost of thieves.

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Alcohol

Illegal alcohol traders cost us 16 million rand every day and put lives at risk

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Tobacco

The illegal tobacco trade costs us 21.9 million rand every day.

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Medicines

Illegal medicines cause thousands of deaths each year in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to the WHO and other health organisations.
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Textiles

The importing of illegal clothing and textile products is destroying local businesses and costing jobs.

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