Organised criminal groups are taking increasingly complex measures to avoid detection, such as developing complicated shipping routes and dispatching medicines in smaller parcels. That’s according to the international police body Interpol, which co-ordinates Operation Pangea, the international effort to disrupt the online sale of counterfeit and illicit health products, launched in 2008.
At least 11 per cent of medical products sold online are counterfeit and all regions are affected, Interpol says. Most commonly found by police are fake erectile dysfunction medicines; also commonly faked are anti-depressants, anabolic steroids and medicines used to treat diabetes or cancer. Since 2015, according to Interpol, the types of illicit medicines seized have become more diverse, such as hypnotics, sedatives and anti-inflammatory medication.
Authorities have found counterfeit contraceptive pills hidden inside DVD packages, and illicit sleeping pills inside shipments labelled as clothing, bedding and food.
Paul Stanfield, Interpol Director, Organised and Emerging Crime, says: “By following the money trail and confiscating criminal assets, we can dismantle the criminal networks involved and safeguard public health. INTERPOL is committed to providing the analytical and investigative support necessary to the evolving needs of law enforcement.”
Advice
Police advise to beware when buying medicines (and unlicensed medical products – such as, contact lenses or condoms) online: Buy your medicines from a regulated source; buy prescription medicines from authorised outlets only. Avoid a product or website if:
it looks questionable (spelling mistakes, no physical address, or promises such as “no risk”, “perfectly safe”, “totally legal”);
the price is suspiciously low;
the payment can be made only in cryptocurrencies. This is a potential sign of illegal activities!
Do not buy medicines on social network pages or mobile devices applications.
It’s part of trade in fake and pirated goods, a serious transnational organised crime against Intellectual Property (IP), run by extensive and complex criminal enterprises, says Interpol.
See also the third overview of the European illicit drug market in the 2019 EU Drug Markets Report, by two EU agencies — the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and the EU’s policing agency Europol.
