Overview
- An Interpol-coordinated action spanning nearly two weeks in about 90 countries seized more than 6.4 million doses worth $15.5 million, led to 269 arrests, and dismantled 66 criminal groups.
- Investigators removed thousands of listings and channels tied to online marketplaces and informal supply chains used to ship illegal medicines.
- The most frequently seized products included erectile dysfunction pills, sedatives, and smoking-cessation items marketed without approval.
- Authorities reported a sharp rise in antiparasitics pitched as unproven cancer kits, with large caches of ivermectin and fenbendazole found in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
- Cancer information services say there are no completed human trials showing ivermectin or fenbendazole treat cancer, leaving buyers vulnerable to false cures and serious health risks.