recent investigations reveal that shipments of discounted hiv drugs, worth us $18 million, intended for African countries were, diverted to Europe and sold at the marked price. Drugs of pharmaceutical giant Glaxo SmithKline Beecham were intercepted by profiteers and sent to markets in Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the uk between July 2001 and July 2002.

As a result of the fraud, nearly a quarter of the anti-retroviral drug Combivir that was meant for African patients did not reach them last year. The drug giant estimates that 28 shipments of the drugs Combivir, Epivir and Trizivir