UK’s Battle Against Counterfeit Drugs

 Criminal gangs, covert intelligence, and codenamed operations may sound like the plot of a Bond film, but they are part of the daily work of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) Criminal Enforcement Unit.

The specialist unit leads the UK’s fight against criminal networks trafficking falsified and unauthorised medicines.

“The MHRA’s Criminal Enforcement Unit (CEU) seeks to protect public health and to reduce harm to patients in part by reducing the availability of falsified and unauthorised medicines,” said Andy Morling, deputy director of criminal enforcement at MHRA.

The CEU’s powers include intelligence analysis, online disruption, covert surveillance, and asset recovery — tracking, freezing, and confiscating the proceeds of crime. Morling, a veteran investigator in international drug trafficking and fraud, said the team works closely with law enforcement agencies in the UK and overseas.

Record Seizure of Weight-Loss Drugs

Last month, the CEU announced the world’s largest-ever single seizure of trafficked weight-loss medicines, following a raid on a Northampton warehouse.

More than 2000 unlicensed retatrutide and tirzepatide pens — with a street value of more than £250,000 — were confiscated, along with tens of thousands of empty pens and raw chemical ingredients.

In April, Operation Subaru, an intelligence-led investigation, dismantled a major criminal network trafficking unlicensed medicines. About 150 officers carried out dawn raids on 22 residential and commercial premises, leading to 12 arrests, and the seizure of hundreds of thousands of medicine doses, cash, and cryptocurrency, with restraint orders issued for more than £3.5 million in other assets. 

Across 2024, the CEU and partners seized more than 17.5 million doses of illegally traded medicines — including painkillers, sleeping tablets, and erectile dysfunction treatments — worth over £40 million, up from £30 million in 2023.

Unauthorised medicines bypass regulatory evaluation, offering no assurance of quality, safety, or efficacy. 

“They may contain incorrect ingredients or dosages, harmful contaminants, or no active ingredient at all,” Morling told Medscape News UK. This can lead to “therapeutic failure, toxicity, worsening conditions, antimicrobial resistance, or even death.”

He added that illegal medicine trading undermines public trust in healthcare systems and is often linked to organised crime and illicit online markets.

Global Efforts Led by Interpol

Many larger CEU investigations are part of international operations coordinated by Interpol under the global Operation Pangea initiative, which now embraces a network of 89 participating countries. 

In the UK, Pangea operations have seized more than 25 million illicit medicines and devices valued at £84 million over 15 years. 

During Operation Pangea XVII (December 2024 to May 2025), Interpol dismantled 123 criminal groups worldwide, seized 50 million doses of illicit pharmaceuticals worth USD $65 million, and arrested 769 suspects. Most seizures involved unapproved or counterfeit products.

David Caunter, Interpol’s acting director of organised and emerging crime, said: “The rapid growth of online platforms has made it easier for these unsafe drugs to reach people, as well as opening new opportunities for criminal networks to exploit.”

7 Million Doses Seized in UK

In the UK, Operation Pangea XVII resulted in multiple arrests and the seizure of more than 7 million doses of 152 types of medicine. The most common were dihydrocodeine (2,090,000 doses), zopiclone (1,835,158), and tramadol (687,791). 

The CEU also removed 367 websites and social media accounts promoting illegal medical products.

“We work closely with other health regulators, customs authorities, local authorities, law enforcement agencies, and private sector partners — including e-commerce and the internet industry — to identify, remove, and block online content promoting the illegal sale of medicines and medical devices,” Morling said.

The MHRA’s FakeMeds campaign raises public awareness about the risks of buying medicines online and how to spot counterfeit products.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) supports the initiative. “We regularly remind the public about the risks of buying medicines from unverified sources,” Professor Claire Anderson, RPS president, told Medscape News UK. 

“Pharmacists play a key role through secure handling, vigilant record-keeping, and reporting suspicious activity, she said. “Collaboration between healthcare professionals, regulators, and law enforcement is essential to identify and stop diversion early.”

Despite tight regulation and monitoring in the UK’s supply chain, “continued vigilance is essential,” she added.

The MHRA encourages anyone with information about illegal medicines trading to contact the agency’s whistleblowing service at whistleblower@mhra.gov.uk.

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/inside-uks-battle-against-counterfeit-drugs-2025a1000vl5