Between April and November 2024, law enforcement, judicial, customs, medical and anti-doping authorities from 30 countries joined forces in Operation SHIELD V. Europol coordinated this global effort targeting the trafficking of counterfeit and misused medicines and illicit doping substances. As in the previous editions, the 2024 operation was supported by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), Frontex, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and national medicine agencies.

Operation SHIELD’s 2024 edition was led by a steering group composed of French, Greek, Italian and Spanish law enforcement authorities. Europol supported this wide-reaching operation with several operational meetings and the deployment of experts with mobile offices offering analytical and forensic support.

Preliminary results of Operation SHIELD V

• 418 individuals arrested, charged, or under prosecution
• 52 organised crime groups investigated
• 4 underground labs dismantled
• Total seizures worth above EUR 11.1 million, including:
  • 426 016 illegal packages of illegal pharmaceuticals
  • 4 111 kilograms of powder and raw material
  • 108 litres of active ingredient
  • 174 968 vials and ampoules
  • over 4 683 426 tablets and pills
• 4 083 anti-doping “in and out competition” controls carried out

Pharmaceutical crime is a growing threat in the EU

Pharmaceutical crime has a direct impact on public health and safety, as it affects individuals, communities and national healthcare systems. It generates enormous financial losses for legitimate companies, undermines brand credibility but also endangers investments in research. To emphasise this growing threat, Europol has launched a dedicated report on intellectual property crime (IPC) targeting the production and marketing of pharmaceutical products.

Selling sub-standard, falsely labelled, or falsified pharmaceutical products, as well as products diverted from the legal supply chain, organised crime networks are behind a wide range of illicit medicines and doping substances. 

Purchasing fake medicines pays criminals, risks the consumers’ health, and undermines the economy

Fake medicines traded in the EU are on the rise, which comes with a huge cost for the individual and society. Europol, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) have come together to raise awareness about the issue of fake medicines and how they work to protect consumers against this threat.

Social media and online marketplaces, both on the surface and on the dark web, continue to be central to the trade of counterfeit pharmaceuticals. These platforms provide various degrees of anonymity and target wide audiences, making it challenging to identify the criminal actors involved.

Purchasing fake medicines pays criminals, risks consumers’ health, and undermines the economy. Consumers are warned to be mindful to not fund organised crime or harm themselves by buying fake medicines.