25 million fake pills seized by Interpol

In a global anti-counterfeit drug operation, Interpol has seized 25 million illegal pills worth $51 million.

The seized counterfeit drugs included painkillers, anti-seizure drugs, erectile dysfunction drugs and nutritional products, 20 Minutes quotedThe International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) is headquartered in Lyon (France). Most of these drugs are bought and sold online through illegal websites.

Counterfeit drugs seized in Abidjan (Ivory Coast) in May. Photo: AFP

In a new report,Interpol Director of Investigations Tim MorrisCounterfeit drugs have been and continue to be a major challenge. In particular, the problem of counterfeit drugs has escalated over the past 10 years due to the impact of the Internet."Criminal groups are taking advantage of the trend of online shopping to make a profit, putting people's lives at risk," said Mr. Morris.

To combat global counterfeit drugs, Interpol launches projectPangea X since 2008. Started with eight countries, nowPangea X expanded to 123 countries. As a result, fromSeptember 12 to 19, Interpol arrested400 individuals,shut down 3,584 websites and suspended 3,000 advertisements for counterfeit drugs on the Internet. Besides pharmaceuticals,Pangea Xalso investigate casesillegal trafficking of medical devices such as dental implants, condoms, syringes and surgical equipment./.

According to VNE