Every day, advertisements for medicines invade the Internet, posted on social media networks or other websites. However, behind this slick marketing often lies fraudulent products that threaten consumers’ health instead of healing them.
Over just one week (23-30 June), 94 INTERPOL member countries, representing every continent, launched a coordinated crackdown on illicit online pharmacies in Operation Pangea XV.
Globally, law enforcement made more than 7,800 seizures of illicit and misbranded medicines and healthcare products, totaling more than 3 million individual units.
While results are still coming in from countries, enforcement actions have already disrupted the activities of at least 36 organized crime groups.
“Selling counterfeit or illicit medicines online may seem like a low-level offence, but the consequences for victims are potentially life-threatening,” said INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock.
In Cyprus the operation took place with the participation of the Police that was responsible of coordinating the whole plan. During the operation 462 illicit medicines have been confiscated as well as 123 healthcare products.