Interpol has seized 6.42 million doses of counterfeit and unapproved medicines in a global operation targeting illegal online drug sales.
Interpol confiscated 6.42 million doses of unapproved and counterfeit pharmaceuticals worth USD 15.5 million (€13.1 million)in a coordinated operation across 90 countries, the agency said on Thursday.
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The seized merchandise included erectile dysfunction medications, sedatives, analgesics, antibiotics, and anti-smoking products.
Interpol Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza said fake medicines are “not just fraud” but a threat to lives. “Through online marketplaces and informal supply chains, criminals can exploit gaps in oversight, targeting people looking for fast or affordable treatment. The consequences can be severe, or even fatal.”
The United Kingdom was the country where the most doses were intercepted, –2,122,591– followed by Colombia with 1,473,434 and Australia with 752,617.
“The scale of seizures in this year’s operation underlines the persistent demand for medicines outside the regulated supply chain,” said Andy Morling, head of the Criminal Enforcement Unit at the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
He added that organised criminal groups are exploiting that demand and putting people’s health at serious risk.
The agency also found more than 5,000 criminal-linked websites, social media pages, channels, and automated bots marketing and selling illicit medicines.
Rise in counterfeit antiparasitic drugs
According to Interpol, there has been a sharp rise in illicit antiparasitic medicines – those used to treat infections caused by parasites, including worms, protozoa, and ectoparasites.
The agency warned that the increase is being driven by growing online promotion of these products as alternative cancer treatments, despite warnings from health authorities that there is no scientific evidence for these claims.
“Often mislabeled as health supplements, these products are being sold as part of so-called ‘cancer treatment kits’, making them easier to access and avoid regulation,” Interpol added.
Illegal market of ‘lifestyle drugs’
The police operation found that demand for pharmaceuticals linked to performance and lifestyle continues to grow.
Anabolic steroids were the main-seized product, with 86,732 doses.
The agency links the increased demand to the bodybuilding and fitness communities, and has traced production to Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Counterfeit weight-loss GLP-1 medicines were also found online for as low as USD 10 (€8.49). The agency warns that some of these products contain sibutramine, a substance banned in many countries, including the European Union, due to increased risks of heart attacks and strokes.
