Action against counterfeit and illegally imported medicines
Recently, a globally coordinated action against the illegal online trade in pharmaceuticals took place. About 90 percent of the seized shipments contained sexual enhancers. But other prescription drugs that were imported illegally were also seized. They can pose a major health risk.
Poor quality is sometimes visible to the naked eye. More dangerous, however, are invisible defects such as incorrect active substances, incorrect dosage and contamination. © Swissmedic
Switzerland has been taking part in the PANGEA international action week coordinated by Interpol for years. This year, 55 countries were actively involved. The aim of the action, which was carried out for the 14th time, was once again to combat the illegal trade in medicines via the internet. In total, almost 120,000 websites were assessed by the international authorities and 113,000 websites were closed. Worldwide, 9 million units of illegal and counterfeit medicines were seized.
In Switzerland, Swissmedic, the FCA and Antidoping Switzerland checked 695 consignments at the Zurich-Mülligen postal centre. Half of these (346) were seized because they were illegal imports of medicines or doping substances. Consignments from the Ukraine were conspicuous, as many of them contained counterfeits of the erectile stimulants Viagra and Cialis. Seized narcotics were reported to the cantons, which will initiate the corresponding criminal proceedings.
Illegal websites identified
In the PANGEA XIV campaign, Swissmedic and Antidoping Switzerland identified 120 foreign websites posing as Swiss online pharmacies as illegal. In the process, 75 hacked websites were discovered on which counterfeit and prescription medicines were being distributed without the knowledge of the operators. Steps were taken to obtain the deletion of the websites or to clean up the sites.
Criminal networks are constantly changing
Professionally organized and internationally networked criminals are behind the illegal drug offers. Counterfeit medicines are mostly produced in Asian countries, and counterfeit sexual enhancers in India. These products reach Swiss patients through illegal, convoluted distribution channels. Last year, most of the seized consignments were sent from Singapore. Thanks to good cooperation with the HSA (Health Sciences Authority) there, companies from this transit country are currently no longer active. In PANGEA XIV, most of the confiscated shipments originated from Poland and Germany, which acted as new transit countries for Indian medicines. In order to reduce the risk of seizure by the authorities, the criminal networks have apparently adapted their distribution channels to no avail.
The illegally traded products deliberately endanger the health of patients. They either contain no active ingredients at all or less than the declared active ingredients in the stated quantity. To ensure that the products are not noticed in simple tests, active substances are sometimes present, but rarely in the required quantity.
Press release Swissmedic
