Operation Shield V: Belgian authorities seize 349 386 pills and tablets in action against counterfeit medicines, doping and food supplements

Customs, the Federal Police, the Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products (FAMHP), the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) and anti-doping organisations (NADO Flanders, ONAD Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, ONADO Brussels) took part in operation SHIELD V, coordinated by Europol. This operation ran from April to November 2024 and targeted counterfeit medicines, doping and food supplements.

During the operation SHIELD V, a total of 349 386 tablets and pills, 5 287 vials and bottles and 18 075 bags, sprays and other packages were seized in Belgium.

For Belgium, we note the following results.

• Large quantities of Tramadol and Pregabalin (strong painkillers) in postal packages, at border and road controls and checks on persons.
• Large quantities of erectile stimulants in postal packages, both in the form of tablets and in food supplements and foods such as honey, drinks and chocolate.
• Several fitness centres were checked during the operation, in which 33 per cent of athletes tested positive for doping.
• Botox and fillers regularly turn up in postal packages.
• More than 1 000 postal packages containing erectile stimulants were intercepted when they were sent from the Netherlands to Belgium.

For Europe, we note the following results:

• Authorities from 30 European countries participated in the SHIELD V action.
• A total of € 11.1 million worth of counterfeit medicines were taken off the market within Europe during the SHIELD action, including: more than 4 683 426 tablets and pills, and 174 968 ampoules and vials.
• 52 organised crime groups were investigated.

More about SHIELD V

• Belgium participated in the action within the framework of the Pharma & Food Crime Platform (PFCP), a consultation platform in which all Belgian actors with competences in food and drug crime are represented. Customs, the Federal Police, the Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products (FAMHP), the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) and anti-doping organisations (NADO Flanders, ONAD Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, ONADO Brussels) all carried out activities within the framework of SHIELD V.
• Social media and online marketplaces, both on the internet and the dark web, continue to play a central role in counterfeit medicine trafficking.
• Medicines agencies within Europe are joining forces with Europol, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to warn citizens about the dangers of counterfeit medicines.
• In order to fight counterfeit medicines, cooperation and sharing knowledge between the different Belgian actors is very important.