International gang trafficking anabolics had Greek branch
The Financial Crimes Unit has identified a Greek branch of a global racket trafficking counterfeit drugs and doping substances, making deliveries to the US and more than 15 countries.
One Moldovan national was arrested in September, while police identified other suspects with Moldovan and Romanian citizenship. More than 2.4 million ampoules, tablets and vials of anabolic and other pharmaceutical preparations were seized.
Although based in Athens and in Thessaloniki, the Greek branch, which had been active since 2015, did not appear to be active in the domestic market.
It imported raw materials from Moldova and Bulgaria and manufactured them in Greece using its own labels under four different brand names, including the infamous Balkan Pharmaceuticals and Red Dragon.
The Greek investigation in cooperation with Europol was part of an international operation, Shield III, targeting the trafficking of falsified drugs and doping substances.
Last month Europol dismantled 59 criminal groups, arrested or apprehended 349 suspects and sealed 10 illegal laboratories the world over.
