More data reveal cargo theft problem in pharma

Further evidence for the growing seriousness of pharmaceutical cargo theft in North America has come from a quarterly report, compiled by US firm Chubb Marine Underwriters, which found that medicines accounted for a disproportionate share of the value of stolen goods.

Overall there were 158 recorded thefts, including 10 involving pharmaceutical cargo. Of these 158, Chubb was able to find value data on just 65.

“The accumulated value of the stolen goods was in excess of $77m, a significant increase from the previous period and one of the largest single quarterly amounts we have encountered,” according to the report.

“Two pharma thefts alone accounted for over one half of the total amount reported, it adds.

Pharmaceutical theft remains at a low frequency compared to other sectors such as food, consumer electronics and apparel, but has a high severity “even with the tremendously collaborative efforts by that industry’s logistics and security thought leaders.”

Cargo theft update

Meanwhile, SecuringPharma.com presents a round-up of pharmaceutical shipment thefts, all of which occurred in the USA in the last month.

• A variety of over-the-counter medicines manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, which as-yet are unidentified, were stolen on July 31 at a truck stop in West Memphis, Arkansas. The full truckload (FTL) theft occurred while the shipment was en route to a Wal-Mart distribution centre. Around $200,000-worth of product was taken, although at present the missing products have not been identified.
  
  
• A transport trailer containing a large number of products manufactured by Astellas Pharma US was stolen in transit from a distribution centre on June 17. The products included: Amevive (alefacept) for psoriasis; the antifungal AmbiSome (amphotericin B); various different capsule strengths of the immunosuppressant Prograf (tacrolimus); Vaprisol (conivaptan HCl) for hyponatremia; the antifungal Mycamine (micafungin sodium); Protopic (tacrolimus) for severe eczema; and the imaging agents Lexiscan (regadenosan) and Adenoscan/Adenocard (adenosine). “Due to safety concerns should these medications come back into circulation, Astellas is recalling these specific lots of medications,” said the firm in a statement. More information on the affected lots is available here.
  
  
• On July 30, a trailer containing assorted pharmaceutical products, including medicines and baby formulas, was taken from a trucking company yard in Effingham, Illinois, along with a tractor used to haul the load. The cargo had come from several Walgreens distribution centres. No estimate has yet been offered for the identity of the products or their value, but the inventory list is likely to be extensive.
  
  
• A theft of ‘controlled substances’ took place from a pharmaceutical courier making deliveries at a CVS pharmacy in Plainville, Connecticut, on July 30.
  
  
• Two recently stolen trailers - one carrying a shipment of Johnson & Johnson’s Listerine mouthwash and the other Sanofi-Aventis’ anticoagulant Lovenox (enoxaparin) - have been recovered empty.