200,000 tablets seized by customs

Internet trader is accused of violation of the drug law

04/15/2013

Over the past few months there have been repeated warnings about the availability of questionable dietary supplements, anti-aging supplements and other nutritional supplements on the Internet. Soothing effects usually only appear on the side of the seller or on their account. A charm that apparently succumbed to a 39-year-old man from Hesse. In a search by the Internet retailer, the customs has discovered 200,000 tablets of unauthorized medicinal products in this country. The accused is accused of a violation of the Medicines Act.

Allegedly, the 39-year-old offered the medicine as a dietary supplement via three online shops for sale. According to the customs, the domains have now been blocked. A large part of the remedies found are drugs from the USA with the active ingredients melatonin and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which are sold with the promise of an anti-aging effect. In addition to the violation of the drug law, the Internet retailer is also accused of tax evasion.

270,000 pills and capsules already sold
The business with the alleged dietary supplements apparently went quite well. Thus, the customs assume that already 270,000 capsules and tablets were sold through the portals of the accused. About 5,000 invoices had been found and would have to be evaluated at present. Originally originating from the US preparations were apparently introduced with the help of a 67-year-old accomplice from the Netherlands. The risks that customers may have been exposed to have not yet been conclusively explained.

Warning of counterfeit medicines on the Internet
Just over a week ago, the German Society for Internal Medicine (DGIM) had pointed out the risks of Internet trading with medicines and potentially health-promoting substances. About half of the drugs offered are counterfeits and many of the counterfeits contain harmful substances, according to the DGIM communication. The growing supply on the Internet led the experts back to the extreme profit margin of counterfeit medicines. This is significantly higher than with illegal drugs. According to the definition of the World Health Organization (WHO), counterfeit medicines are all preparations whose identity or origin was intentionally mislabeled, as evidently also in the current case with the anti-aging preparations. (Fp)