UNODC report: 251 tonnes of medical products seized in five Central African countries

9 October 2026

A new report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime describes a booming illicit market in medicines in Central Africa.
From 2020 through 2025, authorities seized 251 tonnes of medical products in Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Gabon, Central African Republic and Chad.
Annual seizures rose from about five tonnes in 2020 to nearly 116 tonnes in 2024, before exceeding 97 tonnes in 2025.
Cameroon accounted for nearly all the seizures recorded in 2025, with 96 tonnes intercepted, compared with just 2.5 tonnes five years earlier.
The products ranged from antibiotics, antimalarial and anti-inflammatory drugs to painkillers and psychoactive substances such as tramadol and pregabalin.
Sylvie Bertrand, UNODC's regional representative for West and Central Africa, said the report outlines a multimodal trafficking system using maritime, riverine, air and road routes.
The report was produced with the World Health Organization and the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa.
The UN cautioned that larger seizures can reflect both greater trafficking and more aggressive enforcement.