The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), a UK regulator, has announced that it seized over 15.5 million doses of illegally traded medicines in the past year. These confiscated drugs have a street value exceeding £30m ($38m). A considerable part of these seizures, over two million doses, took place during Operation Pangea. This initiative involves global enforcement partners working together to target the illicit online trade of medical products.
Among the confiscated items were commonly traded substances like anti-anxiety drugs, opioids, sleeping pills, and counterfeit or unlicensed lifestyle products. These ranged from erectile dysfunction to hair loss treatments, and even included aesthetic products such as wrinkle treatment Botox.
There was a notable increase in the frequency of counterfeit drugs claiming to contain semaglutide, an active ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s diabetes and obesity treatments, Ozempic and Wegovy. These therapies have become popular for weight-loss purposes, and due to scarce availability through legal channels, some have resorted to the black market to procure the drug.
The MHRA has also disrupted more than 12,000 websites selling illegal medical products to consumers and almost 3,000 social media profiles over the past year. They have worked in collaboration with online marketplaces, social media platforms, tech providers, and law enforcement agencies both domestically and internationally to achieve these results.
By advising online marketplaces, the MHRA has been successful in removing over half a million uncontrolled prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, and medical devices before they reach potential buyers.
Andy Morling, the deputy director of criminal enforcement at MHRA, acknowledged the joint efforts of public and private sectors that aided in achieving a record number of drug seizures, convicting offenders, and reclaiming illegal profits. He also emphasized the importance of verifying the legitimacy of online sellers to everyone considering purchasing medicines online.
