The operation has been carried out in Madrid, Alicante, Gerona, Barcelona, Tarragona, Valencia, Almería, Jaén, Granada, Sevilla, Málaga, León, Salamanca, Valladolid and the Canary Islands. They are charged with crimes against public health, belonging to a criminal organization, fraud, contraband and money laundering.
The leader of this criminal organization, the Spanish citizen ADG, has been arrested in Dubai (United Arab Emirates), from where he was directing, while hiding with three international arrest warrants in force for various crimes, all thanks to the rapid coordination of the Interior Ministry of Spain and to the Emirati authorities, which has allowed its immediate extradition.
The investigation began more than a year ago, as a result of citizen collaboration through an anonymous complaint, from which different customs shipments from Malaysia that could contain active ingredients of medicines without being declared as such began to be followed.
Tadalafil and Sildenafil as food supplements
IsTreasury criminal organization imported drugs in large quantities from Malaysia, always falsely declared as food supplements and natural plants to circumvent customs controls and subsequently marketed as 100% natural invigorators, when in fact it was treated, as has been found in different analyzes, of potent drugs such as Tadalafil and Sildenafil, vasodilators intended for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.
The intake of these products without medical supervision can cause myocardial infarction, unstable angina, ventricular arrhythmia, palpitations, tachycardias, stroke and even sudden death.
In view of the results of these analyzes, the Spanish Medicines Agency Withdrew from the market certain products declared as 'natural', whose content would not correspond to their composition, and could be highly dangerous for the health of consumers.
The leaders of this organization, fully aware of the effects of these products due to customer complaints and continued withdrawal from the market by the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products, were limited to changing trade names and packaging, continuing with its distribution and sale in a wide network of herbal establishments, sex shops and gyms, and also online. Among the brands involved are 150 different presentations.
500,000 euros in cash and 59 web pages intervened
Overall, this first phase of the operation has resulted in actions in 15 provinces, highlighting 12 home searches and 55 inspections in premises and warehouses, which have led to the intervention of more than 500,000 euros in cash, 39 current accounts -dos of them abroad-, seven high-end vehicles valued at more than 300,000 euros and two firearms.
Likewise, the blocking of 59 web pages dedicated to the sale of this type of products was carried out, being verified by the researchers that this type of products has been supplied to the entire national territory, as well as to countries such as Portugal, United Kingdom, France , Germany, Italy and Russia.
It has also intervened more than 200,000 boxes or packages of different presentations, all of them with names and inscriptions related to 100% natural products, as well as 400,000 capsules of products pending analysis and several labellers.
More than 400 officials and agents
We must highlight the close collaboration of the investigators of the three police forces (National Police, Civil Guard and Customs Surveillance of the Tax Agency), in which more than 400 officials and agents from the three participating bodies have finally participated, coordinated by the Court of Instruction number 8 of Alicante.
