Swiss customs crack down on fake medicinal imports

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Two thirds of the illegal shipments of medical products contained potency preparations for men. Keystone/Alessandro Della Bella

Switzerland’s customs and border security authorities have seized more than 230 packages of illegally imported counterfeit medical products.

The confiscations were conducted during a week-long international campaign in June against the illegal online trade in fake medicines.

Two-thirds of the illegal shipments contained counterfeit erectile stimulants, the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products (SwissmedicExternal link) said on Wednesday.

Most of the parcels were sent from in Hong Kong, Poland and India, Swissmedic added.

In total, the Swiss authorities checked 948 packages as part of the latest campaign coordinated by Interpol and the participation of 93 other countries around the globe.

During the campaign, a total of more than three million units of illicit and misbranded medicines and healthcare products were secured, according to InterpolExternal link.

Swissmedic said that the illegal distribution of medicinal products is organised by international criminal networks that often buy the products from Asia.

About Swissinfo

SWI swissinfo.ch – the international service of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Since 1999, swissinfo.ch has fulfilled the federal government’s mandate to distribute information about Switzerland internationally, supplementing the online offerings of the radio and television stations of the SBC. Today, the international service is directed above all at an international audience interested in Switzerland, as well as at Swiss citizens living abroad.

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