Joint operation seizes $2 million worth of unlawfully imported therapeutic goods

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and Australian Border Force (ABF) have worked together to keep more than 307,000 units of unlawfully imported medicines and medical devices, with an estimated value of over $2 million, out of the Australian market.

The products ranged from large amounts of pain killers, anti-cancer medications, erectile dysfunction medications, prescription medications and other medicines with a potential for abuse, through to 36kg of border-controlled drugs, including performance and image enhancing drugs, narcotics and benzodiazepines.

A significant number of counterfeit, falsified and substandard medicines were also seized and over 370 Australian-hosted online advertisements unlawfully promoting therapeutic goods were removed.

It was part of Operation Pangea XVI, a global operation targeting illicit and counterfeit therapeutic goods.

Each year since 2008, Interpol has led a week of internationally cooperative action as part of Operation Pangea, to detect and seize illicit and counterfeit therapeutic goods and disrupt their distribution and the criminal networks that facilitate it.

This year, there were 72 arrests across 89 countries with the seizure of potentially dangerous pharmaceuticals worth more than USD $7 million and the removal of 1,300 illicit online pharmacy and criminal websites.

Erectile dysfunction medications continued to be the most seized medicine globally, accounting for 22 per cent of seizures during the week of action. Psychotherapeutic agents including antidepressants, anti-anxiety medicines and stimulants were a close second at 19 per cent, followed by sex hormones and gastrointestinal medicines at 12 per cent respectively.

In Australia, the TGA worked with the ABF to assess a large number of consignments containing therapeutic products detected at the Australian border. The ABF refers any products suspected of containing therapeutic products to the TGA to determine if the importation is legal. If the importation is found not to be legal, the products are ultimately destroyed.   

This operation serves as a reminder that therapeutic goods must be entered in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods before they can be lawfully imported, advertised and/or supplied in Australia, unless an exemption applies.

Consumers should be wary of the quality, safety or efficacy of unregistered medicines and medical devices, which could be counterfeit and pose significant health risks. 

While people may buy medicines online from overseas, or counterfeit products because they are cheaper, they may have wasted money on products that might not work or could be harmful. Using counterfeit medicines or medical devices carries a high risk of unexpected or potentially serious reactions and they are likely substandard or falsified.

Those considering importing unregistered therapeutic goods into Australia should be aware that they risk financial penalties, seizure and loss of goods, and other legal action as appropriate.

Contact for members of the media:

• Email: news@health.gov.au  
• Phone: 02 6289 7400