An international problem needs an international solution – that is exactly how our global problems - including drug & medical products – have to be addressed.
The operation - codenamed Pangea II - focused on those individuals behind Internet sites which illegally sell and supply unlicensed or POM claiming to treat a range of ailments. A number of websites supplying dangerous and illegal medicines, Operation Pangea II, involving 24 countries, was coordinated by INTERPOL & WHO’s International Medical Products Anti-Counterfeiting Taskforce (IMPACT ) to highlight the dangers of buying medicines online.
Locations in each country were identified, with investigators visiting residential and commercial addresses relating to Internet sites believed to be selling unlicensed or prescription-only medicines claiming to treat conditions such as diabetes, obesity and hair loss.
The week long global initiative resulted in a series of arrests and the seizure of thousands of potentially harmful medical products.
"Our primary goal in Operation Pangea II is to protect the public by removing counterfeit and illicit medicines from the market, by shutting down illegal sales on the web, and by prosecuting those potentially putting lives of innocent consumers at risk," said INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble.
Medicine regulators, police and customs officials around the world worked closely together during the crackdown from 16-20 November, focusing on the three principal components used by illegal websites to conduct trade - the Internet Service Provider (ISP), payment systems and the delivery services.
During the operation, Internet monitoring revealed 751 websites engaged in illegal activity, including offering controlled or POM, 72 of which have now been taken down. In addition, more than 16,000 packages were inspected by regulators and customs, 995 packages were seized and nearly 167,000 illicit and counterfeit pills - including antibiotics, steroids and slimming pills, confiscated.
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Twenty-two individuals are currently under investigation for a range of crimes including illegally selling and supplying unlicensed or prescription-only medicines.
Countries involved in Operation Pangea II were - Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Liechtenstein, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, UK and the USA.
Apart from participating Opearion Pangea II, Singapore’s HSA is also part of WHO’s International Medical Products Anti-Counterfeiting Taskforce that coordinated this operation. HSA also has an advisory to inform the public on internet drug purchase here.
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