Pharmaceutical workers jailed over fake medicine scam

A Benin court has jailed seven senior staff of pharmaceutical companies on charges of selling illicit medicines. The case sets a precedent in the fight against fake medicines in West Africa. BBC News reports that the suspects worked for wholesalers importing medicines including painkillers and anti-malarials. They were jailed for four years and fined a total of $190 000. Last year, 50 tons of fake medicine were burnt in nearby Ivory Coast.