Fake Medicines Ring Busted in Europe-Wide Operation

A major police operation has dismantled a criminal organization accused of trafficking counterfeit medicines and dietary supplements across Europe, authorities said on Friday.

The investigation involved law enforcement agencies from multiple European countries, including Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Poland and Italy, under the coordination of Europol and Eurojust.

According to officials, the group had been operating since 2019 through a structured network of companies that allegedly sold more than 400 unauthorized products. The counterfeit medicines and supplements were promoted online through hundreds of websites and social media pages targeting consumers across the European Union.

Investigators said the organization used fake doctors and the names and images of well-known public figures in order to convince seriously ill people to purchase the products.

As part of the coordinated operation, authorities searched 113 locations in Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Moldova. Key members of the network were arrested during the raids.

Police also shut down 196 websites based in Romania that were allegedly used to distribute the illegal products. In Poland, authorities froze assets worth approximately €1.8 million.

Greek police said officers from the Organized Crime Directorate participated in the investigation, including evidence collection at a logistics company in the Attica region.

Authorities estimate the criminal network generated illegal revenues of around €240 million.

Source: tovima.com