Medicines and medical devices worth more than £850,000, totaling more than 285,000 items, have been seized by officers from the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) as part of a global operation to tackle the illegal sale of medical products, with UK. seizures are estimated to be about 9 percent of the global total.
In the UK, 48 social media accounts illegally offering to supply drugs were also shut down. Officers from the MHRA’s Criminal Enforcement Unit searched five premises in the West Midlands and London, with 2 suspects arrested.
During the global week of action coordinated by Interpol, which ran from 23 to 30 June, this year’s ‘Operation Pangea’ saw countries around the world join forces to seize non-compliant medical products. The operation also included the arrest of several suspected organized criminals.
In the UK, the drugs seized were antidepressants, erectile dysfunction tablets, painkillers, anabolic steroids and diet pills.
Andy Morling, Deputy Director (Criminal Enforcement) at the MHRA, said:
Criminals who illegally trade drugs and medical devices are not only breaking the law, but also have no regard for your health. Unlicensed medicines and non-compliant medical devices pose a serious risk to public health as their safety and efficacy can be compromised.
This operation shows what can be achieved when national and global efforts are combined to tackle this type of offence. The MHRA’s Criminal Enforcement Unit will continue to work closely with our international partners and the Border Force to prevent unlicensed medicines and non-compliant medical devices from entering the UK and to bring to justice the criminals behind this illicit trade.
The MHRA will follow the week of action with a detailed analysis of the global results to better understand the current and emerging criminal threat. This work includes identifying ‘hotspot’ exporting countries, high-risk favored drugs traded in informal markets and the ever-evolving business models of criminals around the world seeking to profit from the public.
The MHRA works to raise awareness through its #FakeMeds website, which encourages people in the UK who choose to buy medicines online to take steps to ensure they are buying from safe and legitimate sources. The campaign highlights the dangers of fake medicines sold online and the negative health effects that taking them can have. It also encourages people to report suspicious offers and any side effects experienced to the Yellow Card scheme.
MHRA safety advice when buying medicines:
Be careful when buying medicine online.
Medicines and medical devices are not ordinary consumer goods and their sale and supply are strictly controlled. Websites that operate outside the legal supply chain can look tempting, for example, a prescription drug offered over the counter. Not only are these sites breaking the law – they’re also putting your health at risk.
Don’t describe it yourself.
Self-diagnosis and self-medication can be very dangerous. If you have concerns about your health, see your GP, get an accurate diagnosis and if medicines are prescribed, buy them from a legitimate source.
Visit the #FakeMeds website for tools and resources to help people buy drugs or medical devices safely online.
Ends
Notes to editors
- Read Interpol’s press release: ‘$11 million in illegal drugs seized in global INTERPOL operation’
Operation Pangea is an international initiative to target the illegal trade in medical products on the Internet. It was instigated by the MHRA in April 2006 and started as the UK’s Internet Action Day (IDA). The annual operation is now the largest internet-based enforcement action of its kind and is coordinated by INTERPOL, together with the World Customs Organization (WCO), the Permanent Forum on International Pharmaceutical Crime (PFIPC), the Heads of Agencies Working Group of Medicines. Enforcement Officers (WGEO), Europol and the Pharmaceutical Safety Institute (PSI), and supported by the Center for Safe Internet Pharmacy (CSIP) and private sector companies.
- The #FakeMeds campaign is a public health campaign that aims to reduce the harm caused by purchasing fake, unlicensed or counterfeit medical products online. The #FakeMeds campaign page gives practical steps the public can take when buying medical products safely online. This includes buying from reputable sources and product brands to watch out for. Previous phases of the campaign have focused on fake erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs, diet pills and fake STI self-test kits. Further tips and top tips for buying medicines and medical products safely online. Follow #FakeMeds at I tweetFacebook and Instagram.
- The MHRA Yellow Card scheme helps the MHRA monitor the safety of all healthcare products in the UK to make sure they are safe enough for patients and those who use them. Members of the public can report suspicious offers and any side effects through the Yellow Card website.
Media searches
News Center
MHRA
10 South Colonnade
London
E14 4PU
Email [email protected]
During working hours: 020 3080 7651 (08:30 – 17:00)
Outside working hours: 07770 446 189 (17:00 – 08:30)
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For real-time updates including the latest press releases and news statements, see our Twitter feed at https://www.twitter.com/mhragovuk
