Illicit Covid-19 drugs bound for Mexico seized by US

Federal authorities have seized at US airports unauthorized versions of the Covid-19 treatment remdesivir destined for distribution in Mexico, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

Versions of antiviral remdesivir, without licenses from the drug's manufacturer Gilead Sciences Inc, were arriving in the United States by plane from Bangladesh and India, the newspaper said.

They were being smuggled by individuals to Mexico for patients willing to pay top dollar for the drugs, the report added, citing people familiar with the investigation.

"We caution against sourcing Gilead medicine from outside the approved and regulated supply chain, hospitals or pharmacies and will continue to support US law enforcement in taking appropriate actions to protect patients," Gilead said in an email to Reuters.

"We caution against sourcing Gilead medicine from outside the approved and regulated supply chain, hospitals or pharmacies and will continue to support US law enforcement in taking appropriate actions to protect patients," Gilead said in an email to Reuters.