Robbery of Medicines at Naples Polyclinic: investigation underway
A 1.4 million euro heist puts strain on healthcare system
Last week, the pharmacy of the University Hospital “Federico II”, commonly known as the Policlinico of Naples, was raided by multiple gangs of thieves. Newspapers reported on the robbery and the pharmacy reopening after the weekend, on Monday morning, with an empty warehouse and stolen goods valued at around 1.4 million euros.
Initial reconstructions
According to the carabinieri, the theft occurred on Saturday or Sunday, without any violence to the window panes or any forced entry through the pharmacy door. According to initial reconstructions, the thieves may have acted with internal support from accomplices within the hospital structure. Surveillance camera footage is currently being analyzed by the carabinieri to identify the culprits. Most of the stolen drugs are life-saving medications for the treatment of severe and specific conditions, such as multiple sclerosis and other rare diseases.
What was stolen
The stolen drugs include hematological and biological medications, and it’s difficult to obtain these medicines without a medical prescription. Thieves could sell the drugs on the parallel market or parallel trade. The public prosecutor has opened an investigation. This parallel trade is legal in Europe for large pharmaceutical companies, but there can also be illegal parallel trafficking alongside this legal parallel trade.
Where do the stolen drugs end up?
The drugs are sold on illegal European markets, where medications are relabeled and resold at higher prices in foreign markets like Germany. Currently, authorities are investigating several leads, including internal accomplices within the hospital structure. This theft has led to an examination of security in healthcare facilities and what needs to be done to improve security systems for these drug thefts.
Hospital officials have reassured that the theft of drugs, despite the low levels of medication in the looted warehouse, will not disrupt patient care. Meanwhile, doctors and patients are closely following the developments of the investigation with interest and concern. This indicates to everyone the need to improve security and enhance current drug safety procedures.
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