Amsterdam, 30 January 2025 (dpa/MIA) - International investigators have arrested 418 suspects as part of an operation targeting the trade of fake medicines and illicit substances in 30 countries, the European Union's law enforcement body Europol said on Thursday.

More than 400,000 packages of "illegal pharmaceuticals," almost 175,000 vials and ampoules and over 4.5 million pills and tablets were seized during the raids conducted between April and November last year, Europol said in a press release.

Total seizures of the operation dubbed Shield V are worth more than €11 million ($11.4 million), it said.

The operation was led by French, Greek, Italian and Spanish authorities and coordinated by Europol.

"Fake medicines traded in the EU are on the rise, which comes with a huge cost for the individual and society," the agency said.

"Pharmaceutical crime has a direct impact on public health and safety, as it affects individuals, communities and national health care systems," it said.

"Selling sub-standard, falsely labelled, or falsified pharmaceutical products, as well as products diverted from the legal supply chain, organised crime networks are behind a wide range of illicit medicines and doping substances."

A total of 52 organized criminal groups had been investigated as part of the operation, according to Europol.

The agency noted that "social media and online marketplaces, both on the surface and on the dark web" are central in the trade of "counterfeit pharmaceuticals."

"These platforms provide various degrees of anonymity and target wide audiences, making it challenging to identify the criminal actors involved," Europol said, warning consumers to be mindful about fake medicines offered online.

Law enforcement officers seized a wide range of drugs, including painkillers, cancer drugs, doping substances, hormones and psychotropic drugs.

MIA file photo