Thousands of kilograms of Serbian drugs confiscated, fine nine drugstores

Serbian illegal barriers are continuing to be part of the Kosovo pharmaceutical market. In the first six months of this year, Kosovo's pharmaceutical Inspectorate has punished nine pharmacists for breaking the law, as Serbian-born medical products have been found. In 2023 this inspectors had numbered 69 such cases. In addition, Kosovo Customs has confiscated medicines of Serbian origin worth over 116 thousand euros from January to June 2024.

That illegal drugs of Serbian origin are present in the Kosovo pharmaceutical market, stated also by the Oda of Kosovo pharmaceuticalists (OFK).

Kosovo's pharmaceutical inspectorate has announced that in the first quarter of 2017, 76 fines have been declared. In this period, illegal products have been encountered at 14 pharmacies, of which 9 were of Serbian origin. Also recorded are 6 pharmacies exercising illegal activities with pharmaceutical products, where 4 of them are located north of the Republic of Kosovo.

“During 2023, the pharmaceutical Inspectorate has imposed a total of 249 fines. These fines have been distributed for various violations, including: Nonprofessional, illegal drugs, illegal subjects, prescription management, banner management, SPO, etc. During 2023 87 subjects trading illegal products and 4 subjects who have exercised illegal activities have been identified. In the date of the Pharmacechotic Inspectorate, 69 subjects bearing products originating from Serbia have been counted. In the first six months of 2024, a total of 76 fines have been pronounced. In this period, 14 subjects have been confronted with illegal products, out of which 9 subjects had medical products of Serbian origin. Also, 6 subjects have been encountered by exercising illegal activities with pharmaceutical products, of which 4 are in the north of the Republic of Kosovo”, reported in their response to Kosovas.

In addition, according to Kosovo Customs data during 2023, 20 cases have been revealed of non-proliferation of Serbian-born drugs at the border belt and border crossing points.

In the first six months of 2024, they have identified seven similar cases.

Kosovo customs has announced that the value of medicines of Serbian origin seized from January to June of this year is over 116 thousand euros, while throughout 2023, this value was approximately 91 thousand euros.

And we've had 20 cases of smuggling drugs that have been discovered as: across the border belt, then there's been cases of trying to get through the Border Cross by not declaring them... in the first six quarters of 2024, there were 7 cases discovered in shape and described as high for 2023. The smuggled bar is of all types without exception”, the Turks in Kosovo Customs response.

Meanwhile, the deputy chairman of the Kosovo Pharmacists' Oda, Astrit Hadzijaha, said it is a considerable number of illegal drugs in the Kosovo pharmaceutical market.

According to him, non-invention of the drug price law and parallel administrative instruction are among the main factors affecting the presence of these drugs at the pharmacy.