Illegal Factory for Counterfeit Medicines and Steroids Busted in Nationwide Operation

A specialized police operation against the illegal distribution of medications has been conducted nationwide, uncovering an illegal production facility for counterfeit medicines and anabolic steroids in Sofia, according to the Ministry of Interior.

The actions are part of the international operation PANGEA XVIII, involving EU member states, Interpol, Europol, and the World Customs Organization. In Bulgaria, over 220 sites were inspected, including pharmacies, drugstores, gyms, beauty salons, and warehouses.

In the capital, Economic Police officers dismantled an illegal facility where liquid preparations and tablets were produced and filled into ampoules and blisters. Over 1 million tablets, raw materials, injectable solutions, and manufacturing machinery were discovered on-site. The products were marketed online under the name of a non-existent manufacturer. The detained individual is known to the Ministry of Interior with a prior record for the same activity.

Violations were also identified in several pharmacies across the country. In Sofia, a controlled purchase revealed the sale of prescription-only medicines without a prescription. In Burgas, expired medications were found, along with sales conducted without the presence of a master pharmacist.

During inspections at a beauty salon in Burgas, needles, botulinum toxin, and fillers intended for medical use were found being used in an unregulated manner. Additionally, expired dietary supplements were discovered at a retail outlet in Ruse.

The police stated that the operation is aimed at curbing the illegal medicine market and protecting public health.