Slovak and Hungarian police bust pharmaceutical trafficking gang, seize boats and cash
A 59-year-old Ukrainian national led an organised crime group operating in Hungary that sold potency-enhancing substances and illegal products to foreign customers. The annual profit reached one billion forints.
Slovak and Hungarian police bust pharmaceutical trafficking gang, seize boats and cash
In an international police operation, an organised crime group engaged in illegal pharmaceutical trading and sale of prohibited products was uncovered. The investigation was led by Hungarian authorities in close cooperation with Slovak police.
The gang was directed by a 59-year-old Ukrainian national who conducted business operations in Szada in Hungary. For at least five years, he offered potency-enhancing substances and other illegal products to foreign customers through public internet portals. He operated under the name of a commercial company that, however, had no authorisation to distribute medicines and dietary supplements in Hungary.
According to investigators' findings, the substances were ordered from abroad and stored at multiple locations in Pest County. From there, they were distributed in the form of postal parcels across Slovak territory. Group members typically submitted several hundred packages per week.
According to preliminary calculations, the annual profit from the illegal activity exceeded one billion forints. The Slovak side actively assisted Hungarian partners in monitoring transport routes passing through Slovak territory.
On 8 June, staff from the Hungarian National Investigation Office, working in cooperation with the Counter-Terrorism Centre, arrested four suspects – two Ukrainian and two Hungarian nationals. According to the charges, they traded in counterfeit medicines as an organised group and dealt in prohibited potency-enhancing substances.
During house searches in Iklad and Órbottyán, large quantities of medicines, packaging materials and further evidence were seized. In the course of financial investigation, luxury watches, jet skis, boats, vehicles, cash and real estate were frozen. The value of seized assets totalled approximately 830 million forints, or nearly 2.3 million euros.
Slovak police continue to cooperate with Hungarian authorities in information exchange.
Source: Google News SK — Crime (sk)