Europol-Backed Crackdown Results in Seizure of 34.5 Million in Drugs

Tuesday, February 18th, 2020

Just last month, the news broke that a coalition of European law enforcement agencies had participated in a Europol-backed crackdown online and real-world distribution and sale of counterfeit and smuggled pharmaceuticals.

The operation was led by police in both Finland and France, but also included investigators from 11 European Union members states, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Agents from the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) also supported the crackdown.

On October 15, 2019, the four-day operation was launched. It successfully broke up six organised crime networks involved in the distribution and sale of fake and smuggled pharmaceuticals. 112 property raids took place across several countries and ended in nearly 50 arrests in several nations (Cyprus, Finland, France, Hungary, Portugal, Spain and the UK).

In addition, 34.5 million units of smuggled medicines, doping products and other substances were confiscated (antihistamines, anxiolytics, erectile dysfunction pills, hormone and metabolic regulators, narcotics, painkillers, antioestrogens, antivirals and hypnotics). It is estimated that the worth was approximately €2.6 million ($2.88 million).

In the statement that announced the results of the operation, Europol also shared that the organised criminals regularly misuse pseudoephedrine to make methamphetamine; this is the active ingredient of nasal/sinus decongestant medicines. The agency explained that they use this substance to replace opioid drugs like heroin.

“Pseudoephedrine and psychotropic medicines were among the biggest seizures made on the action days.”

The Problem for Pharmaceutical Merchants

The statement went on to say that “Stolen with fake medical prescriptions or acquired with the collaboration of complacent doctors and pharmacists, most of these medicines were diverted from the legitimate supply chain. Several thousands of the seized medicines were falsified.”

The misuse of substances and falsification of prescriptions creates a big problem for those in the pharmaceutical industry. The industry is already considered to be high risk due to its nature. When situation like this arise, it makes it even more complicated for merchants trying to run a successful business.

Traditional lenders are often hesitant or refuse to work with pharmaceutical merchants. They deem them too risky and turn them away. Organised criminals like the ones recently targeted by the European crackdown only add to the high-risk categorisation of the industry. Without a merchant account and access to a traditional lender, merchants are unable to operate smoothly, accept debit/credit cards or secure the funding they need.

Alternative providers like Best Payment Providers can help. If you have invested a lot of time and money into your start-up or your established business has hit an obstacle, a high-risk merchant account can help. High risk merchant accounts are specifically designed to help merchants in high risk industries. You gain access to a variety of solutions, including payment processing and chargeback management.

If your business is struggling to secure the payment processing it needs, working with a high-risk specialist can provide a quick solution. An application can be completed in a matter of minutes, and setup in as little as 24 hours. High volumes, chargebacks, trial offers, and recurring billing are not a problem.