This is followed by sleeping pills and tranquilisers, making up 6% of the seizures, the Swiss drugs regulator Swissmedic said on Friday. The number of seizures dropped by 25% compared to 2021, a year in which illegal imports were particularly high, it said.
These illegal products came largely from Asia: 26% from India and 27% from the rest of Asia, including Singapore and Hong Kong. A good third (34%) was sent from Eastern Europe, notably Poland.
In addition to erectile stimulants and sleeping pills, customs officers found hormones, including melatonin, in 5% of the seizures. Nasal sprays and laxatives made up 4% of illegal imports.
Illegal medicines are a health hazard, says Swissmedic, as they often contain no active ingredients or active ingredients that are misrepresented or incorrectly dosed. They may also contain harmful additives. Those who order illegal medicines may face criminal proceedings.
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Swiss customs crack down on fake medicinal imports
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Switzerland’s customs and border security authorities have seized 231 shipments of illegally imported counterfeit medical products.
Swiss seize 40% more illegally imported medicinal products
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Last year 9,421 packages containing illegally imported medicinal products were confiscated in Switzerland, up from 6,733 in 2020.
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SwissmedicExternal link, the body that authorises medicaments in Switzerland, has issued 51 penalty notices including fines, according to the SonntagsZeitung newspaperExternal link. Farmers under suspicion bought around CHF11,000 ($11,300) worth of drugs every year for up to half the price they pay in Switzerland. The scale of the smuggling operation came to light when the…
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