Operation Pangea
Combating the sale of illegal medicines online
Operation Pangea is an international week of action tackling the online sale of counterfeit and illicit medicines and highlighting the 
dangers of buying medicines online. Coordinated by INTERPOL, the annual operation brings together customs, health regulators, national police and the private sector from countries around the world.
Activities target the three principal components used by illegal websites to conduct their trade – the Internet Service Provider (ISP), payment systems and the delivery service.
The operation has gained significant momentum since its launch in 2008. The first phase of the operation brought together 10 countries; a number which has now risen to more than 100.
Pangea VII
Dates: 13-20 May 2014
Participating countries: 113
Participating agencies: 198
Results:
- 9.6 million fake and illicit medicines seized, including slimming pills, cancer medication, erectile dysfunction pills, cough and cold medication, anti-malarial, cholesterol medication and nutritional products;
- Seizures worth more than USD 32 million;
- 434 arrests;
- 1,249 investigations launched;
- 22,800 adverts for illicit pharmaceuticals removed from social media platforms;
- More than 11,800 websites shut down.