Venezuelan Drug Executives Cleared

A Venezuelan judge has revoked the warrants for arrest granted last year (Marketletters passim) relating to 25 pharmaceutical industry executives, on the grounds of there being no evidence of a crime being committed.

Last summer, 16 warrants were initially granted for the arrest of industry executives representing nine companies, among them Raul Mejuto, pharmaceutical director for Ciba-Geigy in Venezuela and president of the multinational drug industry association in Venezuela, CAVEME. Most of the 16 presented themselves voluntarily to the authorities and were released on bail.

The number of warrants for arrest finally rose to a total of 25. All of the 25 executives implicated in the allegations have now been cleared, CAVEME has informed the Marketletter.