Illegally traded medicines with a street value of more than £30m were seized by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in 2023.

The seizures were made as part of an international initiative called Operation Pangea and accounted for more than 15.5 million doses.

Among the illegally traded medicines were prescription-only anti-anxiety medication, opioids and sleeping pills.

The seizures also included falsified and unlicensed lifestyle products such as erectile dysfunction and hair loss medications, as well as Botox and semaglutide-containing ‘weight loss’ treatments.

The MHRA works with online marketplaces, social media platforms and technology providers, as well as a wide range of law enforcement agencies in the UK and abroad.

The agency said its collaboration with these partners helped it disrupt more than 12,000 websites illegally selling medical products to the public, as well as shut down almost 3,000 social media profiles during the year.

Andy Morling, MHRA deputy director (criminal enforcement), said: ‘This year, working with partners across public and private sectors, our efforts have led to more medicines seizures than ever, custodial sentences for offenders, the removal of criminal profits and considerable success in disrupting the trade online.’

He added: ‘Public safety is our number one priority. Our criminal enforcement unit works hard to prevent, detect and investigate illegal activity involving medicines and medical devices, to protect people and defeat this harmful trade.’