Participation of Cyprus in the global operation Pangea XIV
For another year the Republic of Cyprus participated in operation PANGEA which took place between the
dates 18 and 25 May 2021. The purpose of the operation, which took place simultaneously worldwide, is to
detect and seize falsified medicines and medical devices that are trafficked online.
The operation is co-organised by INTERPOL, EUROPOL, the World Customs Organisation (WCO), the
Permanent Forum on Global Crime on Medicinal Products (PFIPC), the Working Group of the
Heads of Pharmacoregulatory Authorities of the EU Member States (HMA WGEO), the FDA of
America, drug quality control laboratories from around the world and other private bodies.
The operation involved 92 countries and during it, a total of more than 9,000,000 formulations, estimated
to be worth more than $23 million (US dollars), were seized worldwide. In addition, 113,020 illegal
websites were detected and deleted, while 277 persons were arrested.
The operation in Cyprus was carried out with the participation of the Cyprus Police, which was also
responsible for coordinating the whole operation, the Pharmaceutical Services, the Department of
Customs, the Department of Postal Services, the Department of Health Services, the Competent Authority
of Medical Equipment, the Industry and Technology Service, the State Chemistry and Veterinary Services.
In Cyprus during the operation, a total of 7,000 packages were checked, at the local Provincial Postal
Offices of Packages and at Larnaca Airport. At the same time, operations were carried out throughout
Cyprus, involving members of the Branch for combating intellectual property offences and illegal
betting (K.K.A.P.&P.S.) of the Electronic Crime Sub-Directorate, members of the Provincial I.P.E. as well as
officers of the Department of Customs, Pharmaceutical Services and the Department of Medical Equipment
of the Ministry of Health.
During the above operations a total of 95 medicinal preparations and 1719 pills were seized, for which
there was no marketing authorisation in the Republic of Cyprus. 3813 laughing gas products, which fall into
the category of controlled medicinal products, were also identified and seized.
In addition to the above, officials of the Department of Medical Equipment of the Ministry of Health,
accompanied by members of the C.K.A.P.&P.S., carried out checks in department stores in the
province of Nicosia, where orthopaedic products were found, which did not meet the specifications of the
European Union.
In addition, in the context of the checks carried out by the Medical Equipment Services,
accompanied by members of the C.K.A.P.&P.S., the introduction by a merchant of 600,000 rapid test devices,
which were counterfeit and/or did not comply with European Union directives, was detected and a relevant
document suspending the use of these products was served.
In total during the operation in Cyprus, almost 700,000 falsified / unlicensed preparations were detected
and seized, the majority of them local anaesthetics, antipsychotics, medicines to treat erectile
dysfunction and the rapid tests mentioned above, a number that far exceeds the seizures of previous years.
Once again, the public is being called upon to pay particular attention to the market and the use of
medicines or other preparations offered for sale on the internet or secured in any way without a
prescription and advice from a competent doctor. It is stressed that the use of such preparations can
have serious effects on the human body with unforeseen consequences.
Thousands of fake online pharmacies shut down in INTERPOL operation
