The Greek Police have dismantled a criminal organization selling illegal pharmaceuticals online.
The Cyber Crime Division of Hellenic Police investigated a case of promotion and illegal sale of potentially harmful pharmaceutical products and drugs online, using misleading advertisements on social media. The perpetrators had used artificial intelligence applications to create fake videos (deepfake).
The Greek Police investigation began following a complaint about promotional videos on Social Media, which featured well-known figures such as scientists (mainly doctors), journalists and artists, promoting illegal drugs as drugs with “miraculous” properties.
The above was brought to the attention of the competent Prosecutor’s Office, which ordered the conduct of a preliminary examination, in the context of which it emerged that the packages sent by foreign companies to the prospective buyers were routed to Greek territory, via a courier company based in an area of Attica.
In an inspection carried out at the premises of the transport company, 439 packages with approximately 1,800 preparations were identified, which were seized as they did not have a marketing authorization from the National Medicines Organization (EOF), and were deemed dangerous to public health.
According to the data providing by Hellenic Police, in 2024, these foreign companies placed 94,919 orders of such preparations in Greece. The case has taken the path of justice, while the seized products will be examined by the National Medicines Organization.