Agents of the National Police have dismantled an organised group allegedly dedicated to the sale of diet pills adulterated with a derivative of amphetamine. The drugs were advertised through a social network profile and contained sibutramine, a substance that can cause very serious risks to public health. Some 9,000 capsules and abundant related documentation have been intervened, in addition to blocking three bank accounts.
The investigation began when the agents became aware of a profile on social networks where, allegedly, a huge amount of drugs containing an amphetamine derivative called sibutramine were sold. After several steps it was possible to verify that one of the advertised products had a marketing ban alert in Spain by the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS), since 2013, for containing the substance sibutramine whose consumption may cause serious health risks.
The researchers also found that another product was being offered to which they attributed exactly the same qualities as the previous one and that, although it was sold under the guise of a totally new and natural product, the reality is that it was a conversion into other products that had not yet been it had been withdrawn from the market. The conversion process was totally manual, consisting simply of removing the sticker that gave it the name and putting another prepared ad-hoc with the new name.
After the mandatory timely consultation with the Spanish Agency for Nutrition and Food Safety, they indicated that they had no evidence of any legal product with the new name. After its analysis, it was found that it contained the same components, that is, “sibutramine”.
Very serious risk to public health
Once the illegality of the products they sold had been verified, as well as the very serious risk to public health, the researchers began the study, analysis and surveillance of the alleged distributors, being able to verify both the distribution activity of the products, as well as the enormous benefits of such activity.
Even so, given the large number of people to whom those now detained were sending the products and the very serious health risk that it posed, it is for this reason that it is decided to exploit part of the operation with the result of four detainees, three blocked bank accounts and approximately 300 cans of product seized (about 9,000 capsules). 48 packages were also intervened that were to be distributed throughout different parts of the Spanish geography through two parcel companies.
It should be noted that the investigation has been carried out in coordination with the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products, which has been informed of what has been done in order to carry out the timely alert and withdrawal of the products.
