47 people arrested in 15 Spanish provinces for the importation, manipulation and sale of medicines without sanitary control
Large quantities of drugs such as Tadalafil and Sildenafil were imported from Malaysia, active ingredients diagnosed for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, making them pass as natural food products
The leader of this criminal group has been arrested in Dubai, a city where he was hiding with three International Detention Orders in force
There have been 12 home searches, 55 inspections in stores selling this type of products, as well as blocking 59 web pages and 39 bank accounts
These products, once manipulated in our country, were destined for sale in places like gyms, herbalists, sex shops and through the internet
Civil Guard, National Police and Tax Agency, have jointly carried out the first phase of an important operation against illegal drug trafficking, in which 47 people, all of Spanish nationality except a Portuguese subject, have been arrested in provinces such as Madrid , Alicante, Girona, Barcelona, Tarragona, Valencia, Almería, Jaén, Granada, Sevilla, Málaga, León, Salamanca, Valladolid and the Canary Islands, which are charged with crimes against public health, belonging to a criminal organization, fraud, contraband and money laundering
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
This 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 proceeded to withdraw certain products declared "natural" from the market, the content of which would not correspond to their composition, which 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 withdrawals from the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products, were limited to changing the commercial names and packaging of the products. same, continuing with its distribution and sale in a wide network of herbal establishments, sex shops, gyms and online. Among the brands involved are 150 different presentations.
€ 500,000 in cash and 57 websites intervened
Globally, this first phase of the operation has resulted in actions in 15 provinces, highlighting 12 domiciliary records and 55 inspections in premises and warehouses, which have led to the intervention of more than € 500,000 in cash, 39 checking accounts, 2 of them abroad, 7 high-end vehicles valued at more than 300,000 euros and 2 firearms.
It is necessary to emphasize the blockade of 59 web pages dedicated to the sale of this type of products, being verified by the researchers that this type of products has been supplied to the whole 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 agents
It should be noted that the success of the operation has resided in the close collaboration of the investigators of the three police forces in which more than 400 agents from the three participating bodies have finally participated, coordinated by the Court of Instruction number 8 of Alicante.
