After successful implementation of operational actions codenamed "PANGEA", at the initiative and with the coordination of the INTERPOL General Secretariat Lyon, an operational action codenamed "PANGEA XVII" was carried out from 16.12.2024 to 16.05.2025.
Operational action "PANGEA XVII" was carried out at the initiative of the INTERPOL General Secretariat Lyon and was implemented in INTERPOL member countries in cooperation with police agencies, customs and health authorities and resulted in the seizure of potentially dangerous medicines worth more than 65 million US dollars, 769 suspects were arrested and123 criminal groups dismantled worldwide.
These seizures and arrests are the largest in the 17-year history of the operation.
Medicines that affect the nervous system, including psychostimulants, anti-anxiety medicines and medicines for Parkinson's disease, lead the list of most commonly seized products and erectile dysfunction medicines are second.
Other commonly seized types of products include anabolic steroids, antidiabetic drugs, anti-smoking products, dermatological agents, dietary supplements, herbal products and psychotherapeutic agents.
Bosnia and Herzegovina has been participating in the international operation “PANGEA” for many years, coordinated by the INTERPOL General Secretariat Lyon.
Beside Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies of Bosnia and Herzegovina - Department of NCB INTERPOL Sarajevo , which acted as the coordinator and contact point, the action was also attended by the Prosecutor's Office of BiH, the State Investigation and Protection Agency, the Border Police of BiH, the Indirect Taxation Administration of BiH, the Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices of BiH, the Anti-Doping Control Agency of BiH, the Food Safety Agency of BiH, the Federal Administration for Inspection Affairs, the Inspectorate of the Republika Srpska, the Inspectorate of Brčko District Government, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republika Srpska, the Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs of BiH, the Police of BiH Brčko District, the MoI of Canton 10 Livno, the MoI of the Tuzla Canton, the MoI of the Central Bosnia Canton, the MoI of the Bosnian-Podrinje Canton, the MoI of the Posavina Canton - Orašje, the MoI of the Zenica-Doboj Canton, the MoI of the Police Administration - Sarajevo, the MoI of the Una-Sana Canton, the MoI of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, the MoI of the West Herzegovina Canton.
The results of the operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina are visible primarily through activities undertaken for the purpose of preventing, detecting and solving criminal acts related to pharmaceutical crime, increased exchange of information between the countries participating in the operational operation, increased checks of persons, vehicles and documents and overall resulted in the seizure of smuggled medicines and medical devices, reporting of illegal sales of medicines on the internet, launching new investigations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as issuing misdemeanor warrants by the Indirect Taxation Authority of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
During the operation, a large quantity of undeclared/unauthorized/mislabeled medicines and medical products originating from China, Serbia, India, Turkey, Russia, the USA, etc. (5,900 packages), from the therapeutic groups of analgesics/antipyretics/opiates, cytostatics, ophthalmic preparations, antidiabetics, dental materials (implants), as well as preparations for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, namely: Blackwidow, Makagra, Vidalista, Cenforce, Kamagra, with a total monetary value of more than 150,000 KM was found and seized.
Certain goals have been achieved by realizing "PANGEA XVII", especially in terms of raising public awareness of the problem of smuggling of medicines and medical devices, as well as the sale of illegal medicines and medical devices via the internet and improving cooperation between the competent agencies dealing with this issue.
The Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies of BiH thanks all institutions in BiH whose members participated in the preparation and implementation of this operational action and emphasizes its readiness to continue to take measures and actions within its jurisdiction in order to suppress criminal offenses and misdemeanors in this area of crime.