In cooperation with a total of 103 countries*, Interpol launched numerous actions against the online trade in counterfeit medicines and medical products between late May and early June under the code name “Pangea IX.” Altogether, more than 12 million counterfeit and illegal medications worth some 53 million US dollars (more than 46 million euro) were confiscated, alongside approximately 270.000 medical devices valued at 1.1 million US dollars (roughly 1 million euro).
Medications for malaria and cancer, potency pills, and diet supplements counted among the counterfeits confiscated by the authorities, as did HIV and diabetes tests as well as counterfeit dentistry and surgical equipment. Additionally, nearly 5,000 websites that sold illegal medications were taken offline. In one case in Austria, investigators demolished an underground counterfeit medicine factory.
The investigators also focussed on areas of criminality related to the online trade in illegal medicines, including illicit domain registrations and electronic payment procedures. In some cases, direct connections to organised crime were apparent.
The operation was supported by Europol and several companies, including online payment providers such as MasterCard, PayPal and Visa, among others. Interpol also made headlines recently with a record finding of counterfeit foods and beverages (we reported).
*Countries which participated in Operation Pangea IX: Albania, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, USA, Vietnam, and Zambia.
