International operation “PANGEA XVI” to combat the online marketing of falsified or illegal medicines

The 16th edition of PANGEA, the international operation aimed at combating the online marketing of illegal or falsified medicines, took place from 3 to 10 October 2023.
The operation, coordinated globally by INTERPOL, saw the participation of 89 countries. The joint effort of customs authorities, regulatory authorities and police forces has led to the seizure of over USD 7 million in seized drugs and medical devices worldwide, the closure of over 1300 illegal websites and the arrest of a considerable number of individuals involved in the trafficking of medicines potentially harmful to health.
The control activities in Italy were carried out at the major airport hubs of Express Couriers and Post Offices, due to the high number of shipments of which they are recipients. Joint checks were conducted at these hubs by “mixed teams” made up of ADM personnel, soldiers of the NAS Carabinieri Units and USMAF offices, assisted by the Investigations Office of the ADM Anti-Fraud Directorate and by AIFA Carabinieri Unit with the support of the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA).
Thanks to the intensification of controls, almost 47,000 units of illegal and falsified medicines were identified and seized during the week of action among the shipments directed to Italy, with an estimated value of over 170,000 euros.
The operation made it possible to gather investigative insights relating to the international trafficking of high-cost drugs. In particular, it was possible to intercept illegal shipments of medicines, carried out by unauthorized parties and, in many cases, in failure to comply with the obligations to guarantee the conservation of medicines at a controlled temperature, posing significant health risks if administered.