Greek police seize counterfeit medicines, arrest 30 in Europol operation

Anabolic steroids, hormones, and a “huge quantity” of erectile dysfunction pills, along with a lab for their production, were among the items seized by Greek Police (ELAS) as part of Europol’s Shield V operation targeting the trade of counterfeit medicines and related products, Kathimerini has learned.

The directorate for combating organized crime handled nine cases involving nine criminal organizations operating both within Greece and internationally. In total, 30 individuals were arrested, with 36 others implicated in the investigations. The haul included over 495,000 illegal counterfeit medicines, medical devices, and other illicit products, 104 kilograms of raw materials, 773.6 grams of cannabis, eight firearms, gold bars, and more than 460,000 euros in cash. The total revenue from the criminal activities exceeded 6.5 million euros.

The latest Europol Shield operation, which spanned 30 countries, resulted in the removal of illegal goods worth 11.1 million euros from the market. The seizures included 426,016 packets of illegal drugs, 4,111 kilograms of raw materials and powders, 108 liters of active ingredients, 174,968 vials and ampoules, and more than 4.5 million pills and tablets. During the operation, which ran from April to November 2024, four underground laboratories were dismantled, 52 criminal organizations were investigated, and 418 individuals were arrested.

Social media networks, online stores, and digital marketplaces – operating on both the dark web and the open internet – have become key platforms for the promotion of counterfeit pharmaceutical products. These platforms provide anonymity to suppliers, who conceal their activities across complex online pathways from purchase to sale, while reaching vast audiences of potential buyers. They have emerged as a major channel for the thriving illegal trade of medicines and related products in Europe.

The surge in counterfeit and unapproved medicines traces back to the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, when criminal networks exploited shortages of medical supplies and public fear, even selling fake Covid-19 vaccines. Since then, the illegal trade has continued to thrive, aided by the ease of online distribution, despite coordinated efforts by European authorities.

“Although Greek law currently prohibits the online distribution of medicines, many people turn to foreign and domestic websites, which are in Greek and promote the quick purchase of drugs without a prescription,” the National Organization for Medicines (EOF) told Kathimerini in a written statement.

The risks to health are significant, the organization emphasized. “Laboratory tests conducted by the EOF on both reported and unreported dietary supplements – either submitted in complaints or seized by law enforcement – have found violations of legislation. Key violations include: a) the detection of prohibited substances with anabolic or anti-obesity effects, which pose serious health risks to users, and b) the presence of pharmaceutical active ingredients, such as sildenafil, used to treat erectile dysfunction.”

Source: pagenews.gr