Twelve suspects have been arrested in dawn raids in four counties
across the West Midlands and the Northwest of England this
morning (29 April) in the largest criminal investigation into
organised medicines trafficking in the history of the Medicines
and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
The individuals have been arrested on suspicion of participating
in the activities of an organised crime group, conspiracy to sell
or supply controlled drugs and unlicensed medicines, and money
laundering. Suspects are being held for questioning at police
stations across the two regions.
The raids across the West Midlands, Greater Manchester,
Staffordshire and Merseyside follow a lengthy intelligence-led
investigation, codenamed ‘Operation Subaru', by the MHRA's
Criminal Enforcement Unit. Around 150 officers were deployed in
today's operation, with MHRA staff supported by West Midlands and
North West Regional Organised Crime Unit, the National Crime
Agency, Staffordshire Police and Greater Manchester Police.
In searches of 22 residential and commercial premises, hundreds
of thousands of doses of medicines have been seized including
controlled drugs such as opioid painkillers and anti-anxiety
medicines, around £100,000 in cash, luxury watches and suspected
criminal assets held in cryptocurrency. The MHRA has also
obtained restraint orders for more than £3.5 million in assets
suspected to be linked to criminal activity.
Andy Morling, head of the MHRA's Criminal Enforcement
Unit, said:
“Today's search and arrest operation follows a long, complex and
thorough investigation by the MHRA's Criminal Enforcement Unit.
Operation Subaru is the largest investigation we've ever
undertaken and demonstrates the MHRA's commitment to protecting
the public by dismantling the organised international criminal
networks that cause so much harm.
“Trafficking in medicines destroys lives and places a huge
financial burden on wider society. Our dedicated team will stop
at nothing to tackle this illegal trade by taking potentially
harmful medicines off the street and bringing those responsible
to justice. As today's operation shows, there is nowhere to
hide.”
“I'm extremely grateful to each of our law enforcement partners
involved today for their substantial, enthusiastic and unwavering
support.
“I would also urge the public to be extremely cautious when
buying medicines online. Medicines should only be obtained from a
registered pharmacy against a prescription issued by a healthcare
professional. Taking medicines sourced in any other way carries
serious risks to your health – there are no guarantees about what
they contain, and some may even be contaminated with toxic
substances.
The MHRA #FakeMeds website
offers helpful guidance and advice for staying safe when buying
medicines online.
This operation is the latest step in the MHRA's crackdown on
illegal medicines trafficking. In 2024, the Agency's Criminal
Enforcement Unit and its partners in the Home Office's Border
Force removed more than 17.5m
doses of trafficked medicines from circulation. The seized
medicines, including painkillers, sleeping tablets and erectile
dysfunction treatments, had a potential street value of more than
£40 million.
Notes to editors
-
The Criminal Enforcement Unit is the MHRA's in-house law
enforcement function, leading the Agency's response to
medicines crime. Its strategic mission is to protect the
public, maintain confidence in regulation and uphold the rule
of law by preventing offending where it can, disrupting
offending where it cannot, and bringing offenders to justice
where it should. It uses the full range of its powers and
capabilities, including intelligence analysis, online
disruption, covert techniques and asset recovery to tackle
criminal threats to the UK public, working closely with the
police and law enforcement agencies in the UK and overseas.
