Hungarian Authorities Seize over EUR 500,000 Worth of Fake Drugs

From September 12-19, 2017, the Hungarian police and customs authorities participated in Pangea X, the tenth international operation targeting the online sale of counterfeit and illegal medicines and medical devices.

The Hungarian authorities seized over 100,000 counterfeit pills and thousands of other medical goods and devices, worth approximately EUR 517,000 (USD 608,000) in total.

The operation was coordinated by the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and involved nearly 200 police, customs and health regulatory authorities in 123 countries. A total of 25 million counterfeit pills were seized worldwide during the operation, worth EUR 43.4 million (USD 51 million).

The seized medicines mainly included painkillers, dietary supplements, antipsychotics, antiepileptic drugs and anti-impotence drugs, but also illicit medical devices, such as fake dental instruments, contact lenses, condoms, syringes and surgical equipment.

As a result of Pangea X, 1,058 investigations were launched, 3,584 websites were closed and 3,000 online advertisements were suspended worldwide.

Prepared by: Tatjana Krivszka and Szilvia Pongrácz

For more information, please contact hungary@petosevic.com.

Source: Hungarian National Board against Counterfeiting; Interpol website